Resident Evil: Reconstruction
by alherrin
Summary: Claire Redfield watches her convoy get smaller every day. Fighting off infection and starvation, her saving grace comes in the form of a tall, introverted woman. But all is not as it seems. Alice has a secret. Alice/Claire, Claire/K-Mart
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Well this is my first Resident Evil Fanfic, so go easy on me ;-) _

_Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Resident Evil. I'm just borrowing the awesome characters for a while. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Claire's POV

Claire could feel K-Mart's hair tickling her thighs. It made her shiver and glance down at the sleeping girl in her lap. _You can't think like this Claire,_ she reminded herself. _The girl is seventeen for Christ's sake! _Claire wasn't naive. She knew that once the apocalypse had come that the justice system had disintegrated, but she still had this gnawing guilt in the pit of her stomach every time she had a thought about how she might like to feel K-Mart's hair against her thighs when the girl _wasn't_ asleep.

And sure, K-Mart would be turning eighteen soon and therefore that guilt should, in theory, go away. Only then, that meant that the rest of the pigs in the convoy – the ones who weren't already trying to bed the young blonde – would join the herd. K-Mart was a smart, young woman, but even smart women had moments of weakness, and stupidity. Case in point, if the blonde were to wake up at this very moment, she would almost certainly be able to smell Claire's latest lapse in judgment.

Claire had been allowing herself a small fantasy as she drove along the endless dirt covered highway. A fantasy in which she pulled the hummer over to the side of the road and had her wicked way with Sleeping Beauty. She forced the thought out of her head and focused on the road. Only the patches of asphalt, where the wind had blown the sand away every three hundred yards or so, gave her any indication that she was still following what used to be I-15.

K-Mart mumbled something in her sleep and then shifted onto her side, bringing her arm up until her fingers slid under Claire's right knee. The redhead sucked in a deep breath. She could feel her pulse in her clitoris and longed to shift her position just enough to take care of the fact that her panties were now uncomfortably plastered to her. She couldn't risk waking K-Mart though, so she ground her teeth together and gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles were white.

The fact that she could now feel K-Mart's hot breath against her thighs did not help the situation. _Man we have GOT to get more females in this convoy,_ Claire whined internally. K-Mart was the only other female, well besides Betty, but Betty was so unbelievably taken with LJ that Claire didn't even consider her. Claire had found K-Mart when she was only fourteen. It was much easier then. She had been sort of the kid sister that Claire never had. But the blonde was no longer a kid. She had grown into a beautiful, young woman – even in the midst of all the tragedy and chaos. And Claire was starting to notice.

The girl shifted again in her sleep and Claire's hand automatically went to rub soft circles on the sleeping blonde's back. It was something she did regularly when K-Mart was restless. Her touch soothed the younger girl almost immediately. The blonde stretched her legs out until her feet were against the passenger door. Claire, not for the first time, thanked God that the previous owner of the hummer had removed the bucket seats and replaced them with a bench. She wanted K-Mart in the front seat so she could always keep an eye on the girl.

She glanced down and noticed that when the blonde had stretched, her shirt had ridden up and a thin strip of pale skin was on display. It would be so easy for her to just shift her hand until she could run her fingers across that skin. The younger girl would be none the wiser when she woke. The redhead's hand slowly trailed lower until just the tips of her fingers were touching the soft skin of K-Mart's back. She held her breath and waited.

Nothing.

She let out the breath she'd been holding and very slowly curled the tip of her middle finger under the edge of K-Mart's shirt. She followed the hem around until the backs of her fingers were grazing the blonde's stomach. The younger girl shifted again, pulling her knees up and bringing the hand that had been tucked under Claire's knee over the top of the redhead's leg, hugging her thigh tightly. K-Mart's hand now rested dangerously near Claire's center.

"Claire." The word was barely whispered and was attached to a small moan that only fueled the redhead's fire. K-Mart was dreaming about her, and what kind of dream it was, Claire could only guess, but at the moment it didn't matter; it was too much. She brought her hand away from K-Mart's stomach and gently shook the girl's shoulder.

"K-Mart," the redhead said huskily. "K-Mart, I need you to move."

The blonde stretched, waking up, flexing her fingers, which grazed against Claire's center. Claire groaned. She couldn't help it; the contact was so unexpected. K-Mart realized where her hand was and jerked her arm away. Her elbow hit the steering wheel and the hummer darted across to the opposite lane. Claire jerked it back, keeping it on the road easily. K-Mart sat up quickly, blushing furiously.

"Claire, I didn't mean…" she trailed off not seeming to know where to go with the sentence.

Claire cut her off. "K-Mart, it's fine. My leg was falling asleep. That's all. You didn't do anything wrong." The blonde visibly eased at the statement. She let out a long breath and leaned back against the passenger seat.

"It's getting late anyway," Claire stated nonchalantly. "I need an extra set of eyes.

"Claire, this is Carlos. Everything all right up there? You falling asleep at the wheel? We can pull over." The radio blasted through the awkward silence of the hummer.

Claire pushed the talk button. "No, I'm fine Carlos. I just…looked away for a second. We need to keep going until we find a good place to camp. Break. Mikey, this is Claire."

"Mikey."

"You have anything on the satellites?" She set the radio down and waited for the reply. She glanced at K-Mart who immediately turned her eyes away. _Great, now K-Mart is going to be embarrassed for the rest of the night._ The older woman shifted in her seat and subtly tugged at the bottom of her shorts easing some of the friction they were causing against her aching center. She glanced at the empty pack of Camels sitting in the cup holder. She could _really _use a smoke right now.

"Claire, this is Mikey. About 25 more miles and there should be a bar called the Red Dog Saloon. It used to be well known by truckers because it is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Best thing is, it was also a restaurant, so we may be able to scrounge some supplies."

Claire sighed with relief. They were running dangerously low on food and fuel. "What about gas?" she asked with little hope.

"They had pumps in the back if I remember correctly. I can see what looks like pumps on the satellite image, but who knows if they still have any juice."

The redhead smiled. "Worth a try, thanks Mikey."

"Not a problem Claire. The exit should be coming up in the next twenty to thirty minutes. I'll keep you posted before hand. Out."

Claire set the radio back down and gripped the steering wheel. Then she reached down under her seat and pulled out the Mossberg 464 and handed it to K-Mart. The younger girl's eyes went wide. "I'm coming in?"

"Don't be crazy," Claire instantly snapped back. "It's just in case. You're definitely staying in the hummer." K-Mart narrowed her eyes like she was annoyed with the redhead's overprotective ways, but Claire could tell underneath she was relieved. The older woman's lips curled up on one side as she thought about K-Mart's reaction. She knew the girl would rather sit in the hummer all day if it meant she didn't have to go on a clearing mission.

Claire had never allowed K-Mart to clear. She had taught the girl how to shoot a gun when she had first found K-Mart, but she never let the situation arise where the blonde would ever need to. In truth, she didn't know what she would do if she lost the kid. It would be like losing a loved one. She shuddered just thinking about it as she pulled into what used to be the parking lot of the Red Dog Saloon. She drove around back and pulled up to the gas tanks. "Stay in the hummer, and lock the doors. Be ready to unlock them if you see me running back."

K-Mart nodded. She knew the drill. Claire stared into the younger girl's eyes for a few seconds, puzzling over what she saw, but not having the time to dissect it. She opened the door and shut it quickly. She heard the lock behind her and pulled her Glock 17 from the holster. Beside her, Carlos, Chase, and LJ were getting out of their vehicles. "Let's work quickly, but thoroughly. I don't want to miss something just because we're all tired and ready to rest."

She twisted the knob and nudged the door open with her boot. She took a deep breath and tried to smell anything that even remotely reeked of decay. The air was fairly clean, only a bit musty. She didn't let that lull her into a false sense of security. Narrowing her eyes, she pointed her gun and moved forward. The first room was clear. Carlos, Chase, and LJ made their way into other rooms as Claire slowly walked up the stairs to the second floor. She opened the first door and found a room with a small bed, dresser, and TV stand. She walked over to the closet and, holding her breath, opened the door quickly backing away at the same time. Nothing. She glanced under the bed only to find a few boxes.

The other rooms had been the same. No sign of anything. This place was really in the middle of nowhere, not even the undead had any interest. She went back downstairs and found the others with similar stories. Carlos had the best news. He had cleared the kitchen, and it was still well stocked with canned goods.

Claire smiled. _Finally some luck._

They went back to the pumps but, as expected, they were dry. "Well, can't win 'em all I guess," Claire said to Carlos as he threw the nozzle down.

He grinned at her. "I guess it may be time to hit the city again."

Claire shuddered at the thought, but he was right. They had been draining these little stations dry for months now. If they wanted to refill the tanker, they were going to have to go big or go home. "One day at a time, old man." She winked and walked over to Chase who was on top of the tanker. "How we looking on fuel?"

The cowboy tipped his hat up and scrunched up his face. "Well Claire, we probably have another two weeks. Maybe longer if we stay in the same place for a few days."

Claire sighed. They never stayed anywhere for multiple days. It was just too risky, but maybe this place could offer them shelter for another day. It didn't seem to be the undead hangout. She looked over at Carlos who was loading up the four-wheeler with cameras. "Get my perimeter up, old man," she called with a smile on her face.

"Right away, oh fearless leader," Carlos called back with mirth. It was good they could still find reasons to smile.

As Carlos set off on the four-wheeler, Claire went back to the hummer. She grinned at K-Mart putting on her eyeliner. Shaking her head at the girl, she tapped a fingernail on the window through the grating. "All clear," she stated walking to the center of the circle of cars. K-Mart climbed out of the hummer and followed Claire.

The two started picking around for things to start a fire with. It wasn't hard with the way everything was falling apart these days. They easily ripped off a few of the boards from an outside shed. Claire broke them in half with her boot while K-Mart arranged them for the fire. The redhead walked into the old saloon and grabbed a bottle of rum off of the shelf. Nobody in the convoy was stupid enough to deaden his or her reaction time with alcohol these days, but it sure made a good fire starter, and sometimes Betty used it in the ambulance for sterilization. She poured a small amount onto the boards and tossed a lit match on top. Flames roared to life. It got cold during these long desert nights.

* * *

After the team had loaded all of the canned goods and alcohol from inside, they scavenged anything else they could find. Claire took the clothes and linen from the rooms upstairs, the toilet paper, soap, and towels from the bathrooms, and was able to find a couple of flashlights, the good kind that lasted basically forever. All in all this had been a great success. She had even found half a carton of Lucky Strikes tucked away in a cabinet. She didn't tell anyone about that particular find. She and K-Mart had gotten their cans of food from Otto and went to sit beside the fire. Upon opening hers, she found it was chili. "Score!"

She smiled as she showed K-Mart the contents of the can. The blonde grinned back and then scrunched up her face. "Mixed fruit," she said with disappointment.

Claire set her can by the fire to heat up. "Save it for dessert," she winked. "We can share." The younger girl instantly perked up. She looked at Claire with all the emotions of a girl in love. When K-Mart looked at Claire that way, it made it _really_ hard for the older woman to resist just leaning forward and capturing those pouty lips.

Claire shook her head when she realized she was staring at K-Mart's lips and the younger girl was giving her an odd look.

They ate their dinner in quiet conversation and then settled down in the hummer for the night. Tomorrow Claire would have to work out the plan for a city raid. She hated anything to do with the cities these days…


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Resident Evil. I'm just borrowing the awesome characters for a while. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Alice's POV

Alice's body ached as she thundered down the sand covered highway on the BMW. She'd been riding the motorcycle for hours without stopping. Her ass and thighs were numb and she was starting to get callouses on her callouses. She pulled off of the road and decided to set up camp early. She inhaled deeply and was rewarded with clean air, free from the scent of the infected. She could smell them for miles now. Her senses had been so heightened by the experiments that Dr. Isaacs had performed on her, that during the first few days it was all she could do to keep sane. The sun had been too bright. The engine of her Motorrad 1200 had been like a machine gun firing continuously in her ear. The constant reek of infected flesh drilling into her lungs every time she took a breath had been unbearable, but once she had gotten used to it, it had become what she relied upon most. She now knew the infected were coming before they were anywhere near her.

It had taken her months to hone her senses – to figure out what she was capable of. The strength, speed, and overall _spidey-sense _for the infected she had adapted to easily. It was the unnatural things her mind was now capable of that created the biggest obstacle for her to overcome. That, and the knowledge that the T-Virus was running rampant in her blood.

It started happening during dreams. At night, while she was sleeping, she would move things around with her mind. She had lost three bikes that way, lifting them in the air, then waking with a start and slamming them to the ground. Eventually she learned to control the telekinesis, but it seemed that the T-Virus was not quite finished with her. She kept developing more and more power. In the first days of the outbreak in Raccoon City, Major Cain had told her that her blood had bonded with the T-Virus on a cellular level. She didn't quite understand what that meant, other than the fact that she was infected – on a massive level.

After almost a year of practice, all she had to do was focus on something and she could pretty much make anything happen. It was however, not without consequences. Every time she used her powers on any grand scale she was mentally and physically drained. Twice she had blacked out. Luckily nothing had come along and made a meal of her while she was unconscious.

Alice laid out her bedroll and started scrounging up dried desert plants and tumbleweeds to make a small fire. She dug through her pack and pulled out a naked can. _God only knows what's inside,_ she inwardly cringed. She opened the can, relieved to see that it was stew, and set it near the fire to warm. While she waited, she pulled out her kukris and sharpening stone, added a few drops of oil, and began to run the stone across the first blade. After a few minutes she set the blade aside and grabbed the can of stew. _Only one more can, _her mental inventory told her. She was running low on supplies and would need to restock soon. The gas station she had hit the day before had been disappointing at best. She had nothing much to show from it, save half a pack of unfiltered Camels and a journal about a safe haven, _Arcadia_.

Once she had finished her stew, she pulled out her other blade and set about sharpening it. It was well into the night at this point, but she was wide-awake. Another side effect of the T-Virus – her body could run on about an hour to two hours of sleep a day. While it was good for keeping watch, it made the already long night time hours seem that much longer, and lonelier.

She'd not had actual contact with another human being for months now. She'd seen only a few people, for very short periods of time since she'd left Carlos, Jill, and Angie in Detroit. She had just disappeared on them, with no warning whatsoever. She knew that if she had told them, they would have begged her to stay, told her that everything would be all right. It wasn't safe. Umbrella could control her mind. They could make her body do things against her will. She had very nearly killed Angie at the behest of Dr. Isaacs, but she had managed to fight the chip in her brain and escape. Angie was safe with Jill and Carlos now, and they were all safe from _her_.

After she fled Detroit, she had broken into an Umbrella facility and downloaded their satellite trajectories. Ever since she had managed to stay off the grid. She desperately missed human contact however, and she was constantly listening to her radio for any transmissions of people who needed assistance. She never stayed long after she had helped them out of their jam. She would always start to feel that itch after a fight with the infected. She couldn't really explain it, not even to herself. It was a nagging, gnawing, cold feeling. It started deep inside any time her blood got pumping during a fight. It would just continue to grow if she didn't find some way to take her mind off of it, so she would leave. It was either leave or snap, and she didn't want to find out what happened if she snapped.

She finished with her kukris and started to clean her guns – one at a time, of course, just in case.

* * *

Her two hours of sleep were fitful at best. Her nights were still plagued by dreams of things she couldn't control, people she couldn't save. The sun was just breaking over the horizon, so she started to pack up camp. On the bike, she opened the radio and listened for any signs of life.

While she was fastening her bedroll to the back luggage rack, a woman's voice crackled through the static.

"This is KLKB. We have seven people here in need of urgent medical attention. We need help. This is KLKB. Can anyone hear us? Can anyone help us? Please?"

Alice closed the radio, mounted the bike, and headed toward the radio station she remembered passing not too long ago. It would take the better part of the day to get there. She hoped she'd make it in time.

* * *

The drive was long, but finally she stood outside the KLKB station. She inhaled deeply and caught the faint scent of infected flesh. Either the people inside had managed to barricade the infected, or she had gotten there too late.

She nudged the door open with her boot and walked inside, guns drawn. At the other end of the room, she saw a woman sitting down. Upon hearing her arrival, the woman turned slightly. "My baby. Please help my baby," the woman pleaded. Alice holstered her gun and reached for the child. Pulling back the blankets, the child – that was really a doll – fell to the floor. "You bitch," the woman said smugly. "You dropped my baby."

Alice backed away from the woman quickly and was caught from behind. She could have easily overpowered her captors, but she decided to see how things evolved first. Her weapons were removed and the arms holding her tightened. She looked around to see several men, and the woman. One of the men was looking over her weapons, while another was standing in front of her. "Let's see, what else she's packing," the man in front of her growled, sweeping his eyes down her body like she was a centerfold. He was holding one of her kukris and he trailed it down her chest and stomach to her belt. "What ya got down there, fishy?"

"I wouldn't do that." It was the first time she had spoken in what seemed like ages and her voice was low and raspy. With no warning, her leg shot up and connected with the man's chin, cracking his head back and instantly snapping his neck. Blood poured from his mouth as he crumpled to the floor.

"Eddie! Eddie!" the woman shrieked as she ran to his side. "Jesus Christ! He's dead!"

Alice shrugged off her captors but then she felt a sharp pain in the back of her skull, and everything went dark.

* * *

When she awoke she was in what appeared to be the basement and her hands were bound. The scent of infected flesh was overwhelming here. The men and woman were looking down on her from above through a hole in the floor. The woman tossed the handcuff keys into the pit. "There. Wouldn't want it to be over too fast. Open the cage!"

The dog was upon her in no time, but she made quick work of him. Disappointed, the woman released the other mutts. Alice quickly devised a plan grabbing hold of the cords that were hanging from the ceiling and tying them around the dogs. She then proceeded to tie them around the support pillar that was holding the first floor up. When the dogs pulled the pillar down, a piece of the ceiling came down forming a ramp. Alice seized her chance, running up the ramp with the dogs on her heels. She grabbed her weapons and bolted, leaving the men and woman to their fate. She could hear their screams as she started her bike and drove away.

* * *

She was pissed. She had driven almost all the way to Vegas just to put as much distance between herself and the radio station. By the time she finally stopped to set up camp, the blood lust was thundering through her veins. Just like always. Once it started, the only way to control it was to succumb to it and just keep killing things, or cancel it out with an equal or greater hunger. _Well, nothing to kill here, _Alice concluded.

She was lying on her bedroll staring up at the stars. With only a few people pumping pollutants into the sky – instead of a few billion – it was amazing the things she could see at night, if she had the time and security to look up that is. It would have been quite peaceful had the T-Virus not been pounding through her veins intent on _feeding_.

She took a few deep breaths and her eyes fluttered close. Her hand slowly drifted down her stomach, fingers sliding beneath the waistband of her khaki shorts. Her mind drifted back through the months and settled on short dark hair, dark eyes, tan, toned body, and legs for days. Jill Valentine. The few months they had traveled together had been hard, but also, the best Alice had had in a long while.

* * *

_They had just finished a dangerous raid mission to restock their supplies. There had been upwards of 200 infected in the area surrounding the shopping mall. And honestly, if she thought about it, it had been fairly easy once she had taken most of them out with a massive psionic blast, but they had lost a few good soldiers in the process. She had been faint for a few minutes, but recovered to help her friends finish off the rest. _

_The mission itself had been highly successful. They had been able to restock their food supply, and find gas. Still, while the rest of the team was celebrating, Alice snuck off to find a quiet place to calm down from her blood lust. Unknown to her, at the time of course, Jill had followed. Alice had just popped the button on her pants when she caught the younger woman's scent. _

"_Hey," Jill spoke softly, completely out of character. Alice didn't turn to face the brunette. Instead, she grunted in response and tried to covertly re-button her pants. Nothing got past Jill Valentine._

"_I could leave you," the brunette started. "But it would be _way_ more fun for us both if I stayed."_

_Alice whipped around at that point, eyes almost on fire. Jill's dark eyes dragged down the older woman's body until they landed on the open button. Her mouth twitched into a smirk. "You always sneak off after a raid," Jill stated nonchalantly. "Now I understand why." She took a step toward the blonde. _

_Alice backpedaled. "Jill, don't." The command sounded weak, even in her own ears. Jill ignored her and advanced until she was standing in front of the blonde woman, then she knelt down until directly in front of her eyes was Alice's popped button. She looked up at the taller woman through thick lashes. "You don't want me to?" _

_The question had been simple enough, but Alice couldn't find the words to form an adequate response. _Fuck yes,_ would probably not be suitable. "Jill, we don't even know if I'm contagious. This," she motioned between the two of them, "it can't..." she trailed off._

_Jill ignored her once again. Her hands were on Alice's legs in seconds, trailing up the thin material of her stockings, over her holster straps and finally making contact with the creamy patch of skin where the blonde's stockings met her shorts. Alice's sharp intake of breath only fueled her further._

_The brunette reached up to that button, slowly dragging the zipper down. With a few tugs, Alice's shorts were bunched up around her holsters. "Only one way to find out, Super Woman." She leaned forward and wrapped her lips around the blonde's throbbing clit. _

_Alice could feel her blood pulsing under the younger woman's tongue. She said a silent prayer that she wouldn't infect the girl. She figured Jill wouldn't be doing this if she had any doubts about Alice's blood. Still…_

_Thoughts were few and far between for the blonde when the younger woman pushed a finger inside of her, then another. Her quick tongue was still moving furiously across the blonde's clit. Her fingers moving in and out at an agonizingly slow pace, the difference between the two were driving Alice to new levels. _

_Alice felt Jill's free arm slide around her waist, hand cupping her ass, fingernails digging in almost painfully. The brunette pulled the older woman's hips forward with such power that Alice's knees almost gave out as her orgasm crashed through her body. She would have slid to the floor had Jill's strong arm not been holding her up. _

_After a few moments, Jill's fingers slid out of her effectively sending aftershocks through her entire body. She shuddered violently, but she felt the brunette's other arm wrap around her until she was locked in a tight embrace. Jill held her while she came down from her high. She reached out and caught the back of Alice's neck, pulling her in for a devastatingly passionate kiss. With a final glance, the smaller woman turned on heel, and left the room._

_Alice stood there for what felt like hours before she finally pulled her khaki shorts back up and buttoned them._

* * *

Alice's fingers moved frantically between her legs. Her hips canted upwards meeting her fingers every time they circled her clit. Thinking about Jill was definitely one way of canceling out her blood lust. Not many emotions were stronger than unadulterated, sexual _need_. Not even her T-Virus induced urge to kill. She released her hardened nipple and ran her now free hand down to where her left hand was at work. She teased her opening for a few moments, coating her fingers before plunging two inside.

She pumped them furiously while her left hand continued to work her clit. She could feel it building up, and after a few more thrusts, her orgasm tore through her body setting her muscles on fire. After she came back to her senses, she settled down in her bedroll and pulled the blanket over her. Her thoughts immediately went back to Jill and how much she missed that woman's company these days.

She knew now that Jill had never thought that she was contagious. Dangerous, sure, but not in that aspect, and ultimately, she had been right. Alice had confirmed this during her covert break in of the Cleveland Umbrella facility. The version of the Red Queen had informed Alice that her blood could not contaminate humans. With this new knowledge, Alice felt a tad better about being in contact with others, but she hadn't really been afforded the chance since she had left Jill.

Sometimes she thought about going back and searching for the others. Finding them might prove difficult, but she was sure she could eventually track them down if she set her mind to it. They would most likely welcome her back with open arms, but every time her thoughts went down that path, she would ultimately end up thinking about how terrified Angie had looked at the other end of her gun. She knew she couldn't go back.

Thinking about the past could be painful as well, and she immediately regretted bringing Jill into her fantasies earlier. She missed those girls terribly. She even missed Carlos and LJ. She wondered what they were up to, how they were surviving, if they had managed to find any other survivors. She could see them, rounding up horrified survivors, providing food and safety for them. She could see them as the saving grace of the apocalypse. But for all she knew, they were all dead, eaten alive by the virus that she had not been able to contain. The thought was more painful than the rest and she abandoned it without hesitation.

_I would know if they were dead, _she thought ruefully. _I would be able to feel it. I would know…_ She closed her eyes, but knew that sleep was far from finding her. She rolled out from under her blanket and kicked sand onto the fire to kill it. She didn't need it for light or warmth, but most times she started one anyway, just for habit's sake. The T-Virus kept her body temperature regulated, she hardly ever got too cold or too hot, and she was certain that her night vision could give even the greatest nocturnal animal a run for its money.

She inhaled deeply, searching for anything abnormal, but the air was clean. Finally, with nothing more to do, she settled back on her bedroll. Her eyes shifted again to the night sky. The stars really were amazing without all of the light from cities and pollution clouding the atmosphere. So few things were left untainted by the outbreak that Alice was delighted that there were still things left that could be considered beautiful. She closed her eyes and tried for sleep again. This time, fate was kind to her and she drifted off into a semi-restful slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Resident Evil. I'm just borrowing the awesome characters for a while. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Claire's POV

K-Mart shivered again. Inside the hummer they were sheltered from the wind, but they were also away from the fire. Claire had pulled out a couple of extra blankets from the back and laid them across the blonde earlier, but nothing seemed to be taking the chill from K-Mart's bones tonight. "Claire," the younger woman whispered. "Can we lean the seat back? I'm so cold."

Claire sighed. K-Mart knew she didn't like lying down because it meant that a quick getaway was near impossible. But she couldn't deny the girl. She lowered the seat back until it was near flush with the bench, and then scooted around to K-Mart's side. She felt the blonde's body relax against her side reveling in the warmth of the Claire's body, then, K-Mart rolled to her right so that her back was to Claire as the redhead pulled the covers back up. Almost instantly, the blonde sank into sleep.

Claire lay awake on her back. She didn't get much sleep these days and her body had adjusted to the three to four hours a night she was able. She kept her senses sharp, listening to all the sounds that she could hear outside of the hummer. The fire crackled as it slowly died down. The wind was howling, but she could barely make out the sound of a muffled conversation coming from a few of the others who hadn't yet turned in for the night. K-Mart was softly whimpering in her sleep. Another nightmare.

"Claire," K-Mart's voice was frantic and the word was followed by a low moan. Something was hurting her in her nightmare, and dream-Claire wasn't around to save her. Claire frowned. She grabbed the girl by the shoulder and gently shook her awake. It was the only way she could protect her from her own mind. K-Mart jerked awake, gasping for air. Claire pulled the blonde into her arms and the girl instantly moaned and fought to get away. Claire tightened her grip and turned K-Mart in her arms so that the blonde was facing her.

"Shhhhh, K-Mart. It's okay. You're safe. I'm here." Claire made her voice as soothing as she could. She gently rubbed circles on the smaller girl's lower back. She could feel K-Mart's heart pounding against her chest. _Shouldn't it be slowing down? _she briefly thought to herself. K-Mart's arms wrapped around Claire, fingers digging into the older woman's back, face pressed into Claire's neck. "It was just a dream K-Mart. Not real."

K-Mart froze. Then slowly she started to pull away from the redhead. Claire tightened her grip on the girl. She lay back against the seat pulling K-Mart with her until the girl was tucked against her side, head resting in the space between Claire's shoulder and chest. Claire could still feel K-Mart's heart beating wildly against her as she tried to calm the girl by continuing the gentle massage on the small of her back. "Let's just cuddle tonight," Claire teased the younger girl. She felt K-Mart's body tense again and wondered just what the girl had been dreaming about that was so horrible.

A brief thought crossed her mind. _Maybe it wasn't a nightmare._ Generally when the younger girl had nightmares, she calmed immediately when Claire comforted her and assured her that it wasn't real. Tonight, K-Mart only seemed to get more worked up when Claire pulled her into her arms. _Nonsense, Claire,_ she mentally chided herself. _K-Mart isn't having _those _kinds of dreams about you. That's ridiculous. _She shook her head to clear the thought. The younger girl's arm curled around her waist and her face tilted upward into Claire's neck. She could feel the blonde's breath against her jawline now. _Great. Nice job Claire. Think about sex while you have a seventeen-year-old girl wrapped around you. You're awesome. _ She sighed, annoyed with herself. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Claire barely slept at all. Every time K-Mart shifted or moaned in her sleep, every time the girl exhaled too roughly against Claire's neck, every time she inhaled and pressed her chest against Claire's side the redhead's body thrummed. Right before dawn Claire finally managed to drift into a troubled sleep. An hour and a half later she was shifting her body out from under the younger girl, trying desperately not to wake her.

The redhead made her way around the camp, checking the perimeter, pulling off more boards to rekindle the fire that had died during the night. She climbed the ladder to the top of the bus and pulled out her binoculars. She made a slow 360 degrees turn with the binos making sure she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Everything was still. Climbing back down, she nearly had a heart attack when K-Mart appeared at the bottom of the ladder. "Christ, K-Mart," Claire chastised. "You trying to kill me?"

The blonde grinned. "Sorry Claire. I figured you'd heard me. You're the one who told me I sound like a Clydesdale when I walk." She looked the older woman in the eyes. "Sorry about last night, too. I just couldn't shake that dream."

Claire's eyes softened. "It's okay kiddo," she noted the hurt look on K-Mart's face at the nickname. "What were you dreaming about anyway?"

K-Mart looked away immediately, her eyes suddenly finding the ground extremely interesting. "I – I don't really remember. Just that is was pretty intense. You were there…" she trailed off. She briefly glanced up at Claire then back away.

Claire could tell the younger girl was lying, but she didn't push her to disclose her nightmare. Most times it's better if you don't relive them in the morning. "I figured we could stay here for another day or two," Claire stated nonchalantly. K-Mart whipped her head around and stared at the redhead. "What?" Claire smirked. "It's not like it's the first time I've decided to stay more than a day."

K-Mart just stared at her. "But it _is_ the first time you've decided to stay for more than a day. We've _never_ done that before." The blonde shook her head. "I'm not complaining, just surprised is all."

"Well, we're running low on fuel," Claire admitted. "I figure we can stay here as long as it remains safe. That way we can hold off and have time to plan for another city raid. She noticed the shiver that ran down K-Mart's spine. Nobody liked going into the city, and Claire knew that the thought alone terrified K-Mart. "Hey, it's going to be okay kiddo. We always do things safely, you know that." Again the younger girl winced at the nickname. Claire narrowed her eyes. "You don't like it anymore when I call you that, do you?"

"It's not that, Claire," K-Mart sighed. "It's just, when I hear you call me _kiddo_, it just reminds me that you still see me as a fourteen-year-old girl regardless of the fact that I'm pretty much an adult now." The blonde locked onto Claire's blue eyes. "It's not the name; you could call me anything. It's the fact that I'll never be able to make you see me as anything other than some scared kid." She looked away.

Claire walked over to the fire and took a seat. She patted the ground beside her. K-Mart sat next to the redhead and both women stared at the fire. They maintained a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Claire broke it. "What do you want me to see you as, K?" The question was genuine enough, and K-Mart looked at her with a thoughtful expression.

Finally the blonde spoke. "Sometimes you stare at me," she started. Claire's ears got hot and she looked away, but K-Mart continued. "And when you do, I swear you're seeing me as an adult. You always have this look on your face that I can't really figure out, but it's different from the guarded look you usually have. You only do it when you think I don't see you. But…I see you."

Claire shook her head. She would have to be more careful. She was unaware that K-Mart had caught her staring. "Sometimes it's hard for me to remember you've grown up," she paused, making eye contact with the younger woman. "And sometimes, it's so obvious that it kicks me right in the ass." She chuckled a little, nudging K-Mart with her elbow.

The blonde smiled up at the older woman, but her eyes drifted back to the fire. "Don't curse, Claire."

The convoy leader grinned at the younger woman's scolding, then her face was serious again. "The problem is," Claire continued. "Sometimes I _need_ to see you as that scared kid, K. It keeps me grounded. It keeps me focused on protecting you." The redhead stared at the smaller woman's profile. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you, K." It was more vulnerability than she was usually willing to admit, but it got K-Mart's attention.

"Because it'd be like losing your _little sister_?" K-Mart asked, not quite able to mask the bitterness in her voice. She glanced at Claire then back to the fire, waiting for a response.

The redhead smiled a sad smile. "Because it'd be like losing someone who I care about. Someone I love, K. Don't you know what you mean to me?"

K-Mart shook her head. "I know you care about me, Claire. But one of these days you're not going to be around to protect me. And I'm going to be alone and untrained. Most of the time you don't even let me have a gun. I need you to see me as an adult so that you can teach me what I need to know to be able to survive when you can't get to me in time." She sighed. "I don't like being the weak link. I may not be the bravest person. And maybe I can't hide the fact that those things terrify me, like the rest of you can, but I need to know how to protect myself. Maybe I wouldn't be so scared if I knew that I stood a chance."

Claire took a deep breath. "You're right, K." She stood from her spot beside the fire and walked toward the horizon. The land was barren. She longed to be in a place where the vegetation still thrived. She didn't know if such a place still existed. "Well, come on then. It's time to learn the basics of hand-to-hand combat."

K-Mart did a double take. "Are you for real?" she squealed and jumped up. She threw herself at the redhead, hugging her fiercely.

Claire faltered and shook her head at the young woman's enthusiasm. "Okay ki – ller, let's see what you've got." She hoped K-Mart hadn't caught her near slip up.

"First we have got to work on that stance. Are we fighting or are we dancing?" She grabbed the blonde and squared her shoulders. Her hands trailed down the younger woman's sides and grabbed hold of her hips, twisting them slightly and kicking the toe of K-Mart's right boot backward. She heard the young woman's sharp intake of breath, but didn't think much of it. "Bend your knees and keep your left foot forward. _Always_ keep your knees bent. Put your arms up. You want to protect your face and neck, that's where you're most vulnerable."

Claire looked over K-Mart's stance and nodded. "Now, hit me."

"What?" K-Mart shook her head, bewildered. "I'm not going to hit you, Claire. I could never hit you."

The redhead gave the teen a shove. "Hit me, K-Mart. Now!" She knew what to say to get the younger woman started, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. K-Mart kept her distance, eying Claire warily. "Don't be such a baby, K-Mart. Just hit me!" That did it. The blonde lunged forward swinging her fists wildly at the older woman. Claire easily caught her by the wrist. Planting her foot forward, she used K-Mart's own momentum to pull the girl forward and flip her over her hip.

K-Mart landed on her back with the thud, the air leaving her lungs. She stared at the blue sky while trying to suck in a breath. Claire stepped forward and looked down at the young woman, blocking the sun from her face. "Ready to listen?"

The blonde nodded as she sat up. Claire offered her a hand and pulled the girl to her feet. "Good, then ready yourself and hit me."

K-Mart stood in front of Claire. "I thought we were going to fight," Claire stated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "God K-Mart. Am I your opponent or your prom date?" The blonde blushed fiercely at the comment and diverted her eyes from the older woman. Claire sensed she might have gone too far with the comment, so she moved forward to apologize. K-Mart bent her knees, straightened her shoulders and clocked Claire square in the jaw. Claire blinked twice, then reached up and rubbed her sore jaw. "Damn, K."

K-Mart instantly came forward, her eyes filled with an apology. "Oh my God! Claire! I'm so sorry! I didn't think you'd actually let me hit you." She was frantic.

Claire gave her a crooked smile – which hurt – and wrapped her arm around the blonde's shoulders. "Nice form. Let's save the rest for another day." She very casually spit out a little blood that had collected in her mouth from her cut lip, but it didn't go unnoticed by the blonde.

K-Mart stopped in her tracks and invaded Claire's space. The younger woman placed her hand on the redhead's bruising jaw and stared deep into her eyes. "I really am sorry, Claire." She put the tips of her fingers to her own lips kissing them and then moving them to the corner of Claire's mouth. "There," she smiled. "Maybe that'll make it all better." She gave the older woman a wink, but continued to stare into Claire's eyes. Every couple of seconds her gaze flickered to the redhead's lips.

Claire almost gave in when she saw K-Mart start to lean toward her, but in a moment of clarity, her hands shot out and grabbed the younger woman by the shoulders, effectively halting her forward progress. Claire smiled. "Let's get back to camp."

She could see the disappointment in K-Mart's eyes and she filed that information away for later. She decided to change the subject. "So, what do you want for your birthday?" She winked at the younger woman. "It's not every day a girl turns _legal_." She laughed nervously. _Why the hell did I just say legal instead of 18?_ She thought to herself. _I really must be frustrated._

K-Mart arched a brow at Claire's unique way of stating things. "Hmmm, let's see," the blonde started. "Roses, chocolate, diamonds…to lose my virginity before I die. I dunno, the usual I guess."

"K-Mart!" Claire chided, truly surprised by the bluntness of the young woman's statement.

K-Mart had the grace to blush. "Sorry Claire, I just…there are things I want to experience before I get eaten by the undead." Her statement would have had more of a profound affect on the redhead had she not immediately added, "Like, I don't know, getting eaten by someone who's still alive."

Claire's jaw dropped open. "What on Earth has gotten into you?"

The blonde shrugged. "Nothing. Hormones I guess. Weird dreams," she mumbled under her breath, but Claire had caught it.

"K," the redhead spoke gently. "There's still plenty of time to experience the things you want to experience. Who knows, maybe we'll come across a group of survivors and you'll find the young man of your dreams. Or maybe he's here already, you know, Mikey seems to have eyes for you."

K-Mart shook her head bitterly. "You just don't get it do you Claire? I'm never going to find the _young man_ of my dreams. I don't want to be anything but friends with Mikey. I don't want to think about some random person I've never even met before who may or may not exist! And Mikey doesn't like me. He likes _you_ Claire. You're so blind!"

The blonde stormed off in the direction of the hummer leaving Claire bewildered. She shook her head. She didn't understand teenagers in the slightest.

* * *

The rest of the morning went by uneventful enough. Claire had decided to work on the news van's engine since they weren't doing any driving today. She made sure not to disassemble it so much that she couldn't get it back together quickly enough for an escape if the lookout were to see something on the horizon, but she had to do regular maintenance or these vehicles would fall apart. Being under the hood of a car relaxed her more than anything else could.


	4. Chapter 4

_Review Responses:_

_WastedOn - I always thought that as well! I mean, I understand that her blood bonded and all, but it seems like there should at least be a downside to all the super powers, something to counter it all out (other than the whole non-human thing). I'm glad you're enjoying the story._

_kluve - Even though K-Mart didn't have a very big role in the movies, I saw such potential for her character. It had to be a challenge growing up and making it through puberty with no real direction. I have big plans for K-Mart! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!_

_A Phantom's Muse - I won't keep you waiting too awfully much longer, I promise. Alice is on her way! Thanks for the review :-)_

_Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Resident Evil. I'm just borrowing the awesome characters for a while. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

K-Mart's POV

K-Mart stopped dead in her tracks. She had been looking for Claire for the better part of five minutes before she finally found her tucked under the hood of Mikey's news van. The blonde angled her head slightly to take in the sight before her eyes. Claire had removed her jacket and was in her – what used to be white – tank top. She had turned her worn out _Good Times _ball cap around backwards. One of the suspenders that held up her holster belt had slipped down her arm and was hanging loosely against her bicep. Her hands and forearms were covered in grease, and her face and neck had black smudges from where she had touched or scratched without thinking. Claire was beautiful.

K-Mart stood with her mouth slightly ajar until Claire broke her from her trance. "You gonna stand there all day or are you going to come out with it already?"

K-Mart started a little, but then walked up to the van to stand beside the redhead. "Watcha doin'?" She asked casually.

Claire gave the blonde a half-smile. "Changing the air filter. Wanna help?"

K-Mart narrowed her eyes. "Help? How? I don't know anything about cars." But as she said this, she leaned over to have a better view of what Claire's hands were doing at the moment. _If Claire's hands are even half as capable as they were in my dream last night…that engine doesn't stand a chance._ She shook the thought.

"It's _really _simple," said Claire. She grabbed K-Mart and pulled the girl in between her and the car, effectively pinning the blonde to the van with her body. K-Mart could feel Claire's chest pressed against her shoulders, Claire's hips against her backside. It was almost too much. Her body froze at the contact and she had to take a few deep breaths in order to calm herself. Images from her heated dream filled her mind again.

"All right," Claire said. The older woman's voice was right next to K-Mart's ear as she leaned over the blonde's shoulder. Hands sliding down the younger girl's arms, she placed the Phillip's head screwdriver in her hand. "Okay, first you have to unscrew all of these screws along the outer edge here so we can take the top of the casing off and get to the filter."

K-Mart began to undo the screws, but her hands were shaking from the feeling of Claire's body so close to hers. Claire noticed the girl was shaking and put her hands on K-Mart's to stable them. The blonde closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then, with Claire's help, unscrewed the rest of the screws, carefully setting them aside so they wouldn't be lost.

Once they had the top cover off she was able to look inside. "Now, grab hold of the filter and gently pull it out. We don't want to damage it if it's still usable." Claire was carefully watching the blonde's every move. K-Mart reached into the casing and slowly removed the filter. "Wonderful," the older woman complimented. "Now just slightly bend it back so that the flaps fan out like book pages and we'll see if it needs changing."

K-Mart did as she was told. Surprisingly enough – especially with all the sand – the filter was fairly clean. "Okay, looks good. We can probably get another 5 to 10 thousand miles on that thing."

K-Mart snorted. "Where the heck are we going that's ten thousand miles away?"

Claire set the air filter aside and placed her hands on K-Marts sides. The blonde could feel her body being pinned even more tightly to the van by the older woman. Then, Claire's breath was hot in K-Mart's ear. "Who knows? Maybe we'll find Wonderland," she teased the younger girl and began tickling her ribs mercilessly. The blonde had nowhere to go, she was trapped and all she could do was shudder and jerk.

Finally Claire relented. "Okay, let's get this thing back in." Claire talked her through the process of reinstalling the air filter, and within a few minutes they were finished. K-Mart instantly wished she had drawn the event out longer when Claire pulled away from her body. Her back felt cold, even though the Nevada sun was still high in the sky. Claire on the other hand, looked extra heated. She was covered in a light sheen of sweat and her breathing was just a tad too heavy to be considered _normal_. K-Mart smiled to herself. _I did that, _she thought with pride. _I made her feel that. _

"What are you all smiles about?" Claire asked, breaking the younger girl from her thoughts.

"Nothing," the blonde replied. "You're all sweaty and oily." She rolled her brown eyes. "Come on Claire. Meet me at the hummer. I'll get you cleaned up and presentable." She walked off, with a glance over her shoulder. What she saw was priceless. Claire Redfield, in all of her stoic glory was staring after the blonde with her mouth hanging open, a confused look gracing her features. K-Mart didn't watch to see if the older woman was following her. She knew that Claire would be right behind her.

The blonde reached the hummer and opened the back hatch. She rummaged around until she found her pack with the few toiletries that they had been able to scrounge up. She climbed in and sat down, waiting for the redhead to accompany her. When Claire showed up, she crawled into the back of the hummer with no questions. The younger girl pulled out a package of antibacterial wipes and set about cleaning the taller woman. She started with Claire's left hand, gently wiping each finger clean.

"You know I'm capable of doing this myself right?" Claire stated sarcastically.

K-Mart narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, but you're always in a hurry. At least this way I can make sure it's done right." The blonde was working on her other hand now, gently wrapping the wipe around her middle finger and sliding it down before moving it back up. The younger girl smirked. So many images were flashing through her mind at the moment, none of which were appropriate.

"There's that smirk again," Claire whispered. She cleared her throat a couple of times like there was something caught in it. K-Mart's eyes caught the other woman's and held them.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Brain went into the gutter."

Claire furrowed her eyebrows in confusion until she looked down at what K-Mart was doing to her fingers. "K!"

The look on her face was exasperated, but K-Mart could see a hint of a smile and a wicked gleam in the redhead's blue eyes.

After the older woman's hands were cleaned, K-Mart got another wipe and started to work on Claire's forearms. Here, she didn't just clean, but she massaged as she went. The first time she dug her thumb into the tired muscle, the older woman had moaned aloud. After that, she had kept a better hold on her voice, but K-Mart could clearly see the groans in the redhead's eyes.

She finished with Claire's arms and was about to move on to her neck when she got an impish idea. She moved closer to the taller woman and straddled Claire's lap. The redhead looked up at her with wide, but guarded eyes. K-Mart could feel the deep, steadying breath that Claire took and internally, she smiled triumphantly. "I'll just get this last part and we'll be done," she said coolly.

She softly wiped away the dirt and oil from Claire's forehead, cheeks, and chin. She wrapped the wipe around her index finger and then slowly, gently traced the older woman's lips, all-the-while Claire's blue eyes were drilling into her. She could feel the weight of the redhead's gaze and was terrified to meet it. She worked her way down Claire's neck with gentle strokes before moving on to slowly caress her collarbones.

As she wiped away the last of the grease she finally looked up to meet the older woman's gaze. She looked down at her own oil stained shirt. "Guess this can go in the rag bin," she joked with her friend.

Claire glanced down and saw the oily handprints from her earlier tickling attack. "Sorry, K. I should've thought that one through. I'll try to pick up a couple more shirts for you on our next raid."

K-Mart chuckled. "It's okay. I still have a couple left." She reached down and grabbed the hem of her t-shirt, pulling it over her head, leaving on her orange tank top. She tossed it aside and looked back at Claire. The redhead's eyes were wide and there was almost a wild look in them. K-Mart couldn't really place the look; she had never seen it on the convoy leader's face.

"Close your eyes," she whispered. "Almost done."

Claire's eyes fluttered shut and K-Mart wiped off the dirt and grease from the creases of her eyelids, leaving the older woman as spotless as was capable these days. Before Claire could open her eyes, or protest, the younger girl leaned forward and gently brushed her lips across the redhead's. She felt Claire respond for a fraction of a second before jerking back suddenly. Her blue eyes flew open and drilled into the younger girl's. Upon seeing K-Mart's face, her eyes softened considerably.

"We can't, K. I can't." Claire's eyes were apologetic, like she didn't mean what she was saying.

"But you want to," K-Mart argued. "I can tell. I've seen the way you look at me."

The older woman shook her head and nervously looked around to see if anyone could have seen them. She moved K-Mart from her lap and put some distance in between them.

K-Mart caught on to Claire's reasoning. "Claire, you can't keep denying it and hoping it goes away just because you're worried what people will think. You're going to explode. Besides, no one has to know."

"K," Claire sighed. "As much as you want me to see you as an adult – which I do – I promise…"

K-Mart knew where this was going. "You're only five years older than me Claire. Don't try to pull the age card."

That caught the redhead's attention again and she stared deep into K-Mart's brown eyes. The younger girl could see Claire's gaze shift between her eyes and her lips and back again. After what seemed like hours, the redhead leaned over, grabbed the hatch and slammed it shut. She turned back to the blonde with wild, hunger-filled eyes and crawled forward.

K-Mart felt her back hit the floor of the hummer and Claire's weight settle partially on top of her. The older woman was propped up on her elbow holding herself mostly off of the blonde. Her free hand wrapped around and cupped the back of K-Mart's neck, fingers threading through blonde hair.

She stared down at the younger girl with all the desire of a predator that had finally gotten its prey, but it was K-Mart who pushed upward and captured the older woman's lips. This time, there was no hesitation. Claire returned the kiss forcefully. Her fingers tightened in the younger girl's hair and tilted her head back, bringing their lips even closer. K-Mart felt the redhead's tongue sliding against her bottom lip and the blonde parted her teeth to give Claire free reign of her mouth. She could feel the redhead's tongue sliding against her own and could only hope that she was returning the kiss correctly.

Claire broke away and began to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses across K-Mart's jawline and down her neck. K-Mart had never felt anything like it. The sensations the older woman's lips and tongue were giving her, were like nothing she had even imagined. Claire was sending liquid fire into the pit of her stomach where it pooled before spilling over and downward, even further, until she felt wet heat in between her thighs.

She moaned. She couldn't hold it in any longer. Claire's red hair was tickling the edge of her jaw, Claire's breath fanning across the skin of her neck. It was overwhelming. She could feel the older woman's hand leave her neck and slide downward. Down the middle of her chest, fingers grazing the side of her breast, to her stomach where it rested, thumb making lazy circles. Everywhere Claire touched left a trail of fire and K-Mart was sure that she would burn up before it was all finished.

Claire's teeth were gently nipping at the blonde's collarbone now, and the hand that had been resting on her stomach had somehow managed to crawl beneath K-Mart's tank top, and was now softly stroking her skin. It sent chills up the younger girl's spine. "Claire," she whispered huskily. The redhead pulled her lips away from K-Mart's skin and met her eyes. The blonde put her hand on top of Claire's and slowly pulled both of their hands downward until they were resting on her thigh, just above the knee. She let go of the older woman's hand and leaned back. Claire arched a brow in question, but said nothing as she lowered her lips back to the younger girl's collarbone.

The hand on K-Mart's thigh stayed put, fingers squeezing ever so often, but not moving upward. The blonde wished that she had left off the stupid tights today so that she could feel Claire's hand on her skin, but for the moment, it was enough just to feel the warmth through the thin layer of nylon.

Claire's hand finally started to inch up K-Mart's thigh, so slowly it was agonizing. The hand didn't even make it half way before it was trailing back down at its frustrating pace. The blonde shut her eyes tightly, willing Claire to move her hand further, faster, but the older woman continued to trail her fingers lazily up and down, keeping a safe distance from where K-Mart so desperately wanted them to be.

The younger girl reached out and threaded her fingers through red hair, forcing the older woman to look at her. "Claire, please." Her eyes pleaded with the redhead before she dragged her face forward, crashing their lips together in a passionate kiss. Claire's fingers started to trail up her thigh again. This time they didn't stop. They slid up and under her skirt, finally so close to their destination.

There was a loud knock on the hummer's back window. It startled both women and they jerked away from each other. "Claire, you in there?" Carlos's voice sounded from the other side of the glass. K-Mart had _never_ in her life been more thankful for the dust-covered, tinted windows than she was right at that moment.

Claire grabbed the dirty wipes, opened the hatch of the hummer and jumped out. "Yeah, sorry, just cleaning up," she stated so nonchalantly that K-Mart almost asked herself if it had all been a daydream. But her body was still hot and humming from Claire's touch, and when she shifted she could very distinctly feel the wetness between her thighs.

Carlos looked into the hummer. "Hey kiddo," he smiled at K-Mart. The blonde waved and gave him a shy smile, then quickly turned away to hide her flushed face. She heard the two walking away discussing when the next raid should be, and she sighed.

K-Mart leaned back against the floor of the hummer and stared at the ceiling. She took long, deep breaths to try and calm herself down, but to no avail. She knew Claire wasn't going to give in so easily next time. Just the thought of the older woman made the heat come back. She felt the lava pooling in her stomach again. K-Mart sighed. She had never touched herself before, but it seemed like it was going to be her only relief from the agony that Claire left her in.

She closed the back hatch and leaned back against the seat. She didn't really know where to start, but since the ache between her legs was so strong, her hand disappeared under her skirt and began rubbing along the seam of her tights. Her face flushed in embarrassment the more she thought about what she was doing, so instead she grabbed a blanket, curled up in the back of the hummer, and fell asleep. That's where Claire found her when it came time to grab their cans from Otto and settle down for dinner.

* * *

She felt the older woman gently shaking her shoulder, so she rolled onto her back and looked up to meet her blue eyes. "Hey," her voice was thick with sleep.

"Hey yourself," Claire grinned. "You're not going to be able to sleep tonight, you know."

"I'll sleep," the blonde argued. She looked questioningly at Claire, gauging her temperament. The redhead seemed fine, composed even, like nothing had happened. Her mask was back on. K-Mart sighed audibly. "Is it dinner time?"

"Yeah," the older woman admitted. "That's why I woke you. I didn't want you to miss a meal. If you get any skinnier they're going to come after me for neglect and endangerment." Claire laughed at her own joke. "Let's go see what Otto has for us." She jumped down from the hummer and waited for the blonde to collect herself. She offered her hand – which K-Mart gladly accepted – and helped the blonde down from the hummer.

"Claire," K-Mart called as the redhead started to make her way toward Otto's perch. The older woman turned and regarded the blonde curiously. "I just – well I wanted to apologize, for storming off on you this morning. I know you meant well. I just wanted so badly to tell you that I didn't want a young man, or a guy in general. I don't want anyone but you."

Claire glanced around nervously. "K," she said softly. "Let's talk about this later okay?"

K-Mart sighed again. "Okay Claire."

The two ate their dinner, chatting banally with the others around the fire. Carlos was telling stories from his days working under Umbrella's Biohazard Countermeasure Force and all the kids sat listening with rapt attention. When it was time to settle down for the night, K-Mart walked back to the hummer leaving Claire to make her nightly rounds.

She pulled the blankets over her and leaned the seat back slightly. She dozed in and out, not really sleeping because her body was well rested after her nap from earlier. Claire was right; she wouldn't sleep tonight. She sat in that trancelike state between consciousness and unconsciousness until she was jolted by the sound of the door opening. Claire climbed in and shut the door quickly so the cold wouldn't get it. K-Mart could hear the woman trying to move quietly. "I'm not asleep; you don't have to be quiet."

Claire chuckled. "I guess you won't be taking anymore five hour naps during the day, huh?" Her voice held a touch of mirth, so K-Mart knew she was teasing and not scolding.

"Yeah, well, it's too cold to sleep anyway." She wrapped the blanket tighter around her. "Do you think…"

"Not tonight, K," Claire cut her off before she could finish her question. K-Mart couldn't disguise the hurt on her face. She saw Claire's face soften slightly, before the older woman raised the steering wheel and patted her thigh. "Come 'ere," the redhead said softly. The younger girl smiled shyly as she scooted over and laid her head in the convoy leader's lap. Claire threaded her fingers through blonde hair and gently scratched K-Mart's scalp. "Just relax, K. You'll get to sleep soon enough."

It was late into the night when K-Mart finally drifted to sleep. Claire had not stopped the tender massage of her scalp and she entered into her dreams in a calm and peaceful daze.

* * *

Early the next morning, a strange scratching noise pulled K-Mart from her sleep. She opened her door to check things out and was immediately met with the raucous caw of the crow beside her head. She jerked back into the hummer and slammed the door, jarring Claire awake. "Claire!"

"What?" the redhead asked sleepily before focusing on her surroundings. "What the hell?" There were crows, hundreds of them, everywhere. They perched on the deadened, useless power lines. They covered the top of the saloon like a coating of old motor oil. They even sat on the convoy vehicles. She pulled out her radio. "Carlos?"

"I see them." Carlos's whispered voice did more to calm K-Mart than knowing that she was technically safe behind the glass of the hummer. Something about Carlos had always made K-Mart feel safe. Maybe it was his knowledge of how Umbrella worked, or perhaps it was the way he always seemed so calm even when faced with the most terrifying things. It was different from the way Claire made her feel.

"Everyone just stay in your trucks. Roll up the windows, and keep quiet," Claire commanded over the radio. K-Mart watched as the windows in the bus went up, then, she turned her attention to the bird perched on the hood of the hummer. "What's wrong with their eyes?"

"They've been feeding on infected flesh," came the reply from the redhead. She was clearly disgusted, but her usually guarded tone held a hint of fear.

Suddenly, as if something had startled them, the crows rose together in one disorderly, black wave. "Fire it up! Let's get out of here," Claire shouted over the radio.

* * *

_A/N - I promise I'm going to bring Alice in REALLY soon. Mostly likely the next chapter. I know everybody is anxiously awaiting her arrival, but I had to have Claire all nice and confused first. ;-)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

Alice woke before dawn. Something was stirring in the air causing her senses to sharpen. She took a deep breath and caught the faint hint of the T-Virus. Strangely enough, she also caught a whiff of something that was very distinctly _not_ the T-Virus. She smelled humans. They were a few miles away; she couldn't judge exactly how far, but she knew that they were in the same direction as whatever was infected. And that meant that they were in trouble. Wary after her ordeal the day before, she packed her things onto the bike and set off in the direction of the humans.

She topped a hill right as a giant murder of crows took to the air in a flurry of feathers and harsh cries. They were all infected. She watched, almost helplessly, as a bus filled with people crashed into a light pole, black smoke pouring from beneath the hood. She topped out the bike's speed; she could tell that bus wasn't going anywhere. People were running; frantically trying to escape the birds and evacuate the bus into the other vehicles. She jumped off the bike just in time to see the man, wielding a flamethrower that was mounted on top of an Army transport vehicle, get torn to shreds by the hungry creatures.

That's when she noticed Carlos. _Carlos! _ Her mind almost couldn't make the connection. Her brain slowed the scene before her until she was seeing images almost in stop-motion. The flamethrower – with no one to control it – swung around wildly. It turned to the direction of a young girl. Alice watched as Carlos grabbed the girl and shielded her with his body.

Alice never let the flames get close. She forced an invisible shield between Carlos and the fire. Then, with an exorbitant amount of mental effort, she pushed the flames higher into the sky. She fueled them and caused them to grow by sucking the oxygen from the surrounding air. She made them dance higher and higher until the crows were popping alight and falling to the ground around her. The strain of controlling something as irrepressible as fire was weighing heavily on her mind. She could see the tunnel vision closing in around her, but she forced her mind to work harder, pushing the flames higher, making them burn hotter.

When the last of the crows fell from the sky, she released her hold on the flames, and with a final effort, mentally shut off the flamethrower. She saw Carlos run toward her. Then, everything went black.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she sensed was the fact that she was not alone. She turned her head to find a younger woman with blonde hair and big brown eyes sitting across the room from her.

"Hi," the blonde greeted her.

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and noticed a colorful, braided bracelet on her wrist. "Hey," she spoke groggily, like she had been asleep for a while. "This belong to you?" she asked indicating the bracelet.

"I gave it to you last night," the girl spoke softly and looked down shyly after making the comment. Her brown eyes shifted back to Alice's after a brief moment. "For luck."

"Thank you," Alice responded, pausing momentarily before continuing. "What's your name?"

"K-Mart," the girl answered without hesitation. Then, upon seeing the look of confusion on the older woman's face, she rolled her eyes slightly and continued. "It's where they found me. Claire and the other… a few years back."

"Do you have another name?" Alice questioned, not really wanting to call the girl after a chain of department stores.

"Never liked it… and everyone I knew was dead, so, seemed like time for a change. " The blonde offered the older woman a half-smile.

"That's fair enough I suppose." Alice's eyebrows furrowed. "You said last night. How long was I out for?" she questioned the blonde.

The younger girl frowned. "All of yesterday and last night. You barely even stirred. We didn't know if…" she trailed off. "I've been keeping watch over you," she said quickly, then looked away, blushing furiously. "I mean – to let the others know when you wake up."

"Well," Alice said while sitting up from the makeshift bed; she could sense the younger girl's embarrassment and wanted to put her at ease. "No time like the present I guess." She started to get down from the counter when she felt the blonde's hands on her, burning against her skin. The girl yanked her hand back after feeling Alice's cool arm. Then she looked down, ashamed.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled. Tentatively putting her hand back on the older woman's forearm. "I just don't think it's a good idea for you to get up yet. You were out for a while; you need to let your brain catch up with your body."

Alice looked down at where the blonde's hand rested on her arm. It would have been a fatal error for the girl had Alice's near comatose state not drained all of the blood lust from her body. Even as docile as it was now, she could feel the virus respond to the girl's touch. She pulled her arm away gently, scratching the skin where the girl's fingers had excited the virus.

"You're skin is so cold. Do you think you may still be in shock?" The girl's face was a mixture of guarded anxiety and open concern. It was almost endearing. Alice smiled. "I'm fine. I promise. Can you take me to whoever's in charge here?"

"Sure." K-Mart backed away from the counter and led Alice outside. When they found the group, they were all standing around a cluster of graves marked with crude crosses. Alice nodded at K-Mart to go join the others. A confident, slightly familiar looking woman with red hair stepped forward and spoke. "Anyone want to say something?"

Carlos broke away from the others and walked over to her with the redhead in tow. "Alice, this is Claire Redfield, she's the one who put this convoy together."

It didn't surprise Alice. The woman carried herself with poise and purpose. Still, she had to admire the fact that the younger woman had managed to get a group this size – mostly men – to follow her. She couldn't have been over twenty-five.

"Thank you so much for your help." The redhead was sincere enough, but Alice could see hesitation behind her well-constructed mask.

"Claire!" K-Mart called from a few yards away.

The convoy leader turned her head to the girl briefly then looked back at Alice. "I'm sorry I have things to attend to." With that, she walked in the direction of the young blonde and a slightly older, rather attractive woman with light mocha skin and dark eyes.

"In the last six months she's lost half of the convoy." It was Carlos who had spoken again. "Alice, what happened to you? Why did you leave after Detroit?" His face was questioning, his eyes full of pain.

"They were using me. Tracking me. I couldn't be around you… any of you. I would have gotten you all killed. After Angie I…" she trailed off not wanting to bring up the painful topic. "I broke into an Umbrella facility in Cleveland and hacked into their computers. I downloaded their satellite trajectories and stayed off the grid."

"And after the world ended?" Carlos questioned. "Why stay out there all alone?"

"It's just safer if I'm not around people…" She got the distinct feeling she was being watched. She looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "What time is it?"

"Hey Chase, what time is it?" Carlos called to a cowboy who was sitting on top of the Army deuce.

"Well Carlos, it is 12:14. Why, you got somewhere to be?"

Alice smiled dryly. "Guess I'm just being paranoid." She shook her head and grasped the hand that Carlos had placed on her shoulder.

"Welcome back Alice." He smiled and walked off in the direction of the four crosses to pay his respects.

* * *

Alice wandered around the camp and ended up leaning against one of the empty fuel pumps. She needed to leave these people before something happened. Before _she _got them hurt. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't sense the convoy leader's approach and jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Got a minute?" the redhead asked.

"Yeah," Alice could see that same hesitation in the younger woman's eyes and knew how this conversation was going to pan out.

"Everyone is grateful, for you helping us out," the redhead began.

"But how long am I going to stay?" Alice cut her off and looked away. Her voice had been slightly more hostile than she had intended. She knew it wasn't this woman's fault that people were scared of her, of what she could do. She didn't blame them.

"Hey," the younger woman said softly. "They're just uneasy. They'll come around." Her eyes softened; it was just barely noticeable by someone who was really looking. "No one is asking you to leave." She laughed. It was really more of a quick, sharp exhale than a laugh, but the upturned corners of her lips caught Alice's attention. "If it weren't for you, there may have been no one left to be uneasy. We owe you our lives." Her blue eyes locked onto the older woman's and held them. The look was filled with a gratitude that was beyond anything Alice had ever seen.

The older woman looked away from the redhead's intense gaze uncomfortably. She didn't really know how to respond to those situations, so she changed the subject quickly. "I have something that I think you need to see." She followed the redhead to the back of the Army transport vehicle. Claire climbed into the back where Chase, Carlos, and Mikey already sat and Alice handed her the journal she had found a few days earlier at the gas station.

They thumbed through the book carefully for a few minutes. Mikey finally spoke. "These transmissions are the best indication of life we've seen in months," there was hope in his voice, and an odd sort of what Alice pinpointed as desperation.

"But Alaska?" the convoy leader was hesitant once again. The disbelief was quite apparent on her face.

"We have to check it out; we can't just ignore it," Mikey argued.

"Any idea what kind of journey that would be," Claire fought back.

"Yeah," Chase chimed in. "A long one," he said dryly.

Claire continued. "And at the end of it, what? You have no guarantee that there's still anyone left alive up there."

"The transmissions say that – "

"They're dated _six months_ ago," Claire cut Mikey off. "How many radio broadcasts have we responded to? And how many times have we got there too late?"

Alice didn't know if she should be part of the conversation, but she couldn't just let the idea slip away. "The transmissions say there's no infection there. It's isolated. Safe." She immediately regretted speaking up when the redhead shot her a glare.

"This convoy trusts me with their lives," Claire stated resolutely. "These people don't need pipe dreams."

"Maybe that's exactly what they need," Carlos spoke up. "Look at them, Claire. Six months ago, there were 50 of us, then 40, now there's less than 30. They're starting to give up. They need some kind of hope."

Claire looked out around the campsite. From person to person she could see the exhausted, empty look on each of their faces. She could almost taste the desperation. Finally, she caved. "Call everyone together."

* * *

When everyone was gathered around the back of the truck, Claire spoke. "We have a decision to make," she started in a loud, confident voice. "And it's too big, it's too important for me to make for you. There's a chance there are survivors."

"Where?" a voice cut in.

"In Alaska," the redhead answered. "There is a _chance_…" she stressed this word as to not get too many hopes up, "...that the infection hasn't reached that far. But we don't know for sure. So we have a choice. We stay as we are, or we try for Alaska." She paused and looked out at the small crowd of people. "For Alaska?" Almost every hand rose with little or no hesitation. Claire took a deep breath and exhaled with a small, resigned smile. "Alaska," she said quietly.

The convoy leader hopped down from the truck and walked up to where Alice was leaning. She gently grabbed the older woman's wrist. "I hope you're right," she spoke without malice, but her concern was evident.

_I hope I'm right too,_ Alice thought sadly. She didn't want to lead these people across the country for no reason other than to waste their resources, but if there was even a _chance_ that there was a safe haven in Alaska, they had to jump on it.

* * *

Later, they sat around the campfire talking quietly. "The truck's running on empty," Carlos stated wearily.

"I've got half a tank of gas. That's it," Mikey admitted. "Chase?"

"Shit, I don't even have empty," the cowboy answered. "I got enough for a hundred miles, tops."

"If we're gonna make this trip, we'll need to resupply," Carlos said. "These are our options," He pulled out a map. "The nearest, safest bet is right there."

Alice shook her head letting Carlos know she had tried that already.

"Then, well maybe – "

"We could try this – "

"Vegas," the convoy leader interrupted. She said the word almost casually, as if she were throwing out options for a bachelor party, but it left a resounding silence among the others. "It's the only place we're sure to find gas and supplies."

"There's a reason for that," Carlos argued. "Vegas is too dangerous. It's gonna be crawling with them sons of bitches."

"We've drained every small town dry over the last six months. We have to hit a big city. Here's your city raid old man." The redhead winked at Carlos.

Carlos shook his head. "I don't think I bargained for Vegas, Claire…"

"She's right," Alice said softly. She had been quiet up until this point, letting them work out the details on their own. "Vegas, it's our only bet." She noted the grateful look the convoy leader cast in her direction.

* * *

One by one, the members of the convoy drifted off to their respected vehicles until all that was left was Alice, Claire, and K-Mart. The three women sat quietly around the fire for a long while. It was K-Mart who broke the silence. "We were never really properly introduced," she looked at Alice inquisitively. "I told you my name," she grinned at the older woman.

"Alice."

"As in Wonderland?" The blonde was staring into her eyes with a look the older woman couldn't quite place. "I suppose, yes." She caught the glance that passed between K-Mart and the convoy leader. Then she noticed the smirk that graced the younger girl's face.

"Did I miss something?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Claire rolled her eyes at the younger girl and looked away, but it was K-Mart, again, who answered. "Nothing. We just thought you would be a lot further away, that's all." At that, the younger woman broke into a fit of laughter. Alice even noticed a hint of a smile on the convoy leader's lips. She stared at them both, bewilderedly, waiting for them to explain, but after a few moments, she realized she wasn't going to get anything further.

Claire stood and pulled K-Mart up by the hand. "About time to turn in."

Alice grabbed her pack and started to unfasten her bedroll.

"You can't seriously think I'm going to let you sleep out here unprotected," the convoy leader's voice was incredulous.

"I'm never really what you would call _unprotected_," Alice said cautiously. She watched the redhead consider her comment before answering. "Still, while you're part of this convoy, you're under my watch. And I _don't _leave people to fend for themselves. Even if they are superheroes." She gave Alice a half-smile. "Come on, you can sleep in the hummer with K and me. We don't use the back seat."

Alice lifted a brow inquisitively before conceding. She followed the two to the hummer and crawled into the back seat. She was undoing the belt that sheathed her kukris when she heard a loud thud. She jolted forward and pulled her gun, but quickly saw the young blonde gripping her forehead and wincing in pain.

"Man K, you are _such _a klutz," Claire teased.

K-Mart pouted and looked at the redhead with huge eyes. "Is it broken?" The convoy leader took the blonde's face between her hands and pulled her under the overhead light. She softly prodded the rapidly bruising skin just above the younger girl's eyebrow.

"Awww," she cooed with mock concern. "It doesn't look good, K." She took a deep breath. "I think we're gonna have to amputate."

The younger's girl's face fell, then turned into a scowl. "You're such a jerk." She yanked away from the convoy leader, but Alice could tell it was all in good fun. Claire pulled K-Mart's face back under the light for another look.

"It's gonna bruise, K. But I think you're gonna be okay. No concussion at least." She pulled the blonde forward until her lips made contact with the bruised skin. Alice could hear the slight increase in the younger girl's heartbeat and smiled. _Wonder if Claire knows? s_he asked herself. Claire pulled away from K-Mart and looked deeply into her eyes for a few seconds.

Alice looked away. She was beginning to feel like she was intruding on a very private moment. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. She pretended to be asleep to make things less awkward. She began to meditate, slowing her breathing down while listening to the sounds of the other women preparing to settle in for the night. After a few minutes, she heard K-Mart's questioning whisper.

"Claire?"

"Mmmm?" Came the older woman's response.

"Can I? I mean – is it okay if…"

"Come 'ere," the convoy leader cut her off.

Alice heard the seat back being lowered slightly and then something else being adjusted. She cracked her eye just in time to see the blonde scoot over to the middle of the seat beside Claire. She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the redhead's cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

The convoy leader looked at her searchingly.

"Alice may have saved us all today, but I would have been dead long before that if you hadn't saved me." She reached up and cupped Claire's cheek. "_You're _my superhero."

Claire shook her head, looking at the girl in wonder. "Let's get some sleep, K. Never can tell when you're going to be playing the damsel again," she winked at the younger girl.

K-Mart grinned and swatted Claire's shoulder. But she settled her head in the older woman's lap and closed her eyes. From where K-Mart had earlier readjusted the mirror with her forehead, Alice could distinctly see the redhead's face, and the love in her eyes as she threaded her fingers through the blonde's hair, softly massaging her scalp, lulling the younger girl to sleep. But Alice also noticed other emotions. Desire. Frustration. Claire clearly needed something, but it was something that she wasn't ready to accept from the younger girl.

For a brief moment, she wondered if the redhead would be willing to accept that certain _comfort_ from someone else. Her eyes traced over Claire's stern features. A strong jaw, defined cheekbones, pouty lips. The convoy leader was beautiful. Her blue eyes were closed now, but Alice could still remember exactly what they looked like while drilling into her own eyes. She listened for K-Mart's breathing and decided that the young blonde was asleep.

Very carefully she leaned forward, as not to disturb the sleeping girl. She knew that Claire was still awake by the redhead's measured breaths. Alice waited until her lips were right beside Claire's ear before she whispered, "It's been a long time since I've been around a woman like you." Her lips gently grazed the shell of the redhead's ear.

Claire sucked in a quick breath, but that was the only sign that Alice had caught her off guard. She kept her body utterly still. She turned her head to the side and Alice felt her lips sliding across the convoy leader's cheek, coming to rest at the corner of her mouth. "What's that supposed to mean?" Claire questioned quietly.

Alice pulled back, just slightly, letting her lips whisper along Claire's jawline. She could hear the younger woman's heartbeat speed up. She could hear the blood rushing to her head. Breathing in she could smell the effect she was having on the convoy leader. The virus in her own blood crashed through her veins, rushing to her lips to be as close as it could to the sweet, metallic fragrance of human. "Do you know what I miss most about my old life, Red?" That was definitely a nickname she was sticking with.

Claire moaned a little as Alice's lips parted against her jaw as she whispered. "Cheeseburgers?"

Alice's laugh was a sharp exhale against Claire's neck. It made the convoy leader shudder. "I miss touch. Human contact. The feel of bare skin against my lips. Against my hands." Her hand slowly eased around the headrest and downward, fingertips gliding along Claire's neck, slowly tracing the veins down. Ghosting along the redhead's collarbones before dipping beneath the neck of her tank top. She followed along the cup of Claire's bra for a few seconds, but patience was never her strong suit when it came to matters of the_ heart._ Her fingers dove underneath the material, cupping the younger woman's breast, squeezing lightly before pinching at her nipple.

Claire gasped. Then moaned. Alice could tell it had been quite some time since the redhead had been touched. She continued her gentle massage on the younger woman's chest, switching between one breast and the other, wishing that she could wrap her lips around them. "What I wouldn't give to have these in my mouth," she breathed into the redhead's ear. Claire shuddered again causing K-Mart to stir in her lap.

Her hand flew up and caught hold of Alice's, pulling it from her top. "We can't, Alice. Not here. Not now."

Of course Alice knew that they weren't going to finish, but she had just _had _to have a taste. She nodded against the younger woman's neck and slowly pulled away, leaning back in her seat. "Another time then, Red," she barely whispered the words, but she was certain the convoy leader had heard her. Leaning her head back against the headrest, she dozed off rather quickly.

* * *

_A/N: Well Alice has finally arrived! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I wanted to get it posted a little earlier than normal because I'm going to be out of town on Friday when I usually post. Consider it a weekend present ;-)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Review Responses:_

_PrincessLia - Haha, yes, Alice has arrived. I try to update once a week if I can. Sometimes it's tough, but I promise I won't keep you waiting long._

_kmzitnik - Thank you! I absolutely love the build up. It's one of my favorite things to write. I'm glad you're enjoying!_

_kluve - I always see K-Mart portrayed as this shy, quiet little girl and I wanted to try and keep her true to her character, but also to life as well. I remember the thoughts that were going through my head at seventeen, so I tried to play with her hormones a bit. Trust me, we're not finished with K-Mart quite yet. She still has a vital role, especially since I actually have an idea of where this story is going now. ;-)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Claire's POV

She was roused from her sleep by a tickling sensation on her neck. It was still black outside so she knew it was nowhere near dawn. And when did she lean the seat back to lie down? The haze of sleep cleared almost instantly when she felt a soft pair of lips close around her earlobe, gently sucking. Claire gasped and turned her head until she was face to face with K-Mart. The young blonde smiled and held her finger to her lips telling Claire to be quiet. Claire looked to the back seat and saw Alice sleeping.

"K, we can't do this," she whispered.

But the blonde just leaned forward and whispered into Claire's ear. "I know you want this, Claire. I know you want me. I figured out that look you give me when you stare. It's desire. You wanna _fuck_ me." She grazed her teeth down the shell of the redhead's ear, her hot breath spilling into the canal. Liquid heat shot right to Claire's center. The older woman gasped. It was as much from the surprise of hearing such a foul word coming from K-Mart, as it was from the sensations the younger girl was giving her.

K-Mart _never_ cursed. She always scolded Claire when she would let one slip. "K-Mart," she whispered. "Watch your mouth."

The blonde smiled seductively. "Mmmmm, Claire. I love when you tell me what to do with my mouth."

Claire's eyes bulged. "K!" she whispered hotly. "What's gotten into you?"

"Well certainly not you…" her eyes flickered down Claire's body. "Yet," the younger girl winked at her, then crawled on top of Claire and straddled her hips. K-Mart's hips ground against Claire's in a slow, continuous motion. It was quickly driving the redhead insane. Her hands and feet felt cold, as if all the heat from her body had been sucked away and collected in her aching, throbbing…

"Pussy," K-Mart interrupted her thoughts. "Don't be such a pussy, Claire. You're not even responding. You want me so bad? Show me." The blonde grabbed Claire's hands and placed them on her slender hips. Claire's fingers remained stationary for a few moments before the older woman finally acquiesced. Her hands squeezed the younger girl's sides, forcing the blonde's hips to grind down harder against her. Claire gradually began to push upward with her hips, meeting K-Mart's every thrust.

The motion was making the seam of her pants drag back and forth against her throbbing clit. She was going to cum, right here, fully clothed, with K-Mart on top of her, never even really touching her. She moaned. She could feel her orgasm building up. "K-Mart." The younger girl ignored her and kept thrusting her hips. "K-Mart," Claire moaned this time.

The blonde looked down at her, face veiled in pleasure. "Claire," she moaned. "I'm gonna cum. Claire. Claire!"

* * *

"Claire." The voice was wrong. "Claire." Why was K-Mart shaking her shoulders? "Claire, wake up." It was Alice. Claire's eyes snapped open. She was still sitting on the driver's side of the hummer. She looked down to find K-Mart rising from her lap, just waking up as well. _All a dream_. She shifted and found that she was uncomfortably wet_._ She sighed. _Great._

"Claire, you were just having a nightmare. K-Mart's fine, she's right here." The blonde looked between Alice and Claire perplexedly. "She was calling out your name in her sleep. I think she was having a nightmare that you were hurt," the older woman explained.

"Oh," K-Mart blushed furiously as if remembering the time _she _had been calling out Claire's name in _her_ sleep.

Claire narrowed her eyes at the younger girl. _That had most definitely _not_ been a nightmare, _she thought.

K-Mart grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, Claire. I'm fine."

Alice looked at her curiously, narrowing her eyes and inhaling deeply. The older woman's nostrils flared briefly before she looked away, a hint of color showing on her cheeks.

_There's no way she's able to smell me,_ Claire inwardly panicked. _But why is she blushing then? She's got all those powers; maybe one of them is an extra-strong sense of smell. _She shook her head, clearing the thoughts, and looked at the older woman in the back seat.

Alice barely met her eyes before she was opening the door and climbing out of the truck. "I uh – I'm going to go make a run around the perimeter. Check things out." With that, the newest convoy member was gone, slamming the door behind her.

"Well that was weird," K-Mart deadpanned.

"Yeah." Claire watched Alice slowly jog away from the hummer and toward the outer perimeter of the campsite. _She's kind of hot when she's all flustered,_ Claire thought briefly before shaking her head. _Where the fuck had _that_ come from? _Then images of last night flooded her brain. _Alice's lips against her ear. Alice's hand kneading her breasts. Alice's tongue – _

"So. I was hurt, huh?" The blonde had a knowing smirk on her face as she waited for Claire to respond.

Claire looked at Alice's fading figure before turning back to face K-Mart. She noted the raised eyebrow and the smirk. "Oh shut up!" she groaned. K-Mart's laughter filled her ears.

The blonde scooted to the seat beside Claire. "So what were you _really _dreaming about?"

Claire's face darkened slightly before she narrowed her eyes at the younger girl. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know?"

K-Mart slid even closer to the redhead. The younger girl caught Claire's eyes and held them. "I really would." The statement was simple, spoken completely casually, almost flippantly, but the dark brown eyes that were locked onto Claire's were anything but casual.

Claire swallowed audibly and it made the blonde's eyes flicker downward to watch the older woman's throat work. "You don't have to tell me, Claire. Not if you don't want to. I mean, I didn't tell you what my…" she cleared her throat, "…_nightmare_ was about." Her eyes found the convoy leader's again and she smiled seductively. "But I also remember you didn't really make it easy on me either. In fact, I seem to remember you pulling me almost _on top_ of you for the rest of the night, and if _that_ wasn't torture, then I don't know the meaning of the word."

Claire's mouth opened just slightly, then snapped shut and opened again. She stared at the younger girl as if she had just sprouted an extra head. "What the hell is _that _supposed to mean?"

K-Mart looked pointedly at the older woman. "Don't curse, Claire." She stared out the window at Alice's approaching figure. "I guess it means…this is war." She smiled evilly and crawled onto Claire's lap, pulling the redhead forward and crushing their lips together. K-Mart's tongue forced it's way between Claire's teeth, curling upwards until she was softly licking the roof of the older woman's mouth. Claire gasped, her jaw dropping open slightly wider. She had never had anything so seemingly innocent feel so completely erotic.

The blonde pulled away, then closed her lips around Claire's earlobe _exactly_ like in her dream. The redhead's hips jerked upward into the younger woman. K-Mart exhaled hotly into Claire's ear and finally pulled away. The contact was gone so suddenly that Claire didn't have time to react before the door was opening and the blonde was jogging over to meet Alice.

Claire sat in the hummer with her eyes shut tightly. Her breathing was starting to slow down, but nothing could stop the images that flowed through her head. Her dream had faded into the reality of the stunt that K-Mart had just pulled. She needed to get out of the hummer; the air had become so thick she could hardly breathe. _Time to start the day,_ she thought ruefully.

* * *

Chase found her as she was making her morning rounds. The cowboy easily fell into step beside her, looking out at the horizon. "Mornin's like this almost make ya forget the world's ended," Chase chuckled good-naturedly.

Claire looked in the direction of the sunrise and exhaled slowly. "Yeah, and that can be dangerous." It wasn't exactly a reprimand, just a careful warning that the cowboy shouldn't let himself be lulled into a false sense of security.

Chase looked at the convoy leader apologetically. "Yeah, you're right. It can. Anyway, I noticed a knockin' sound in the tanker yesterday. I know diesels aren't really your cup o' tea, but I reckon you're still the most qualified person to check it out." He grinned at the redhead. The guys had given her hell when she first told them that she had owned her own cycle mechanic's shop in Raccoon City before the outbreak, but the first time one of the trucks had broken down and she had brought it back to life with scavenged parts, the jibes had thereafter been coated with a kind of awe.

"I'll get right on it, Chase." Claire smiled, more to herself than the cowboy. At least this would give her something to take her mind off of this morning's debacle. And she really couldn't afford to let the tanker go downhill. Most of the trucks in the convoy were easily replaceable, but the tanker, and the news van were two that Claire knew would be hard to come by.

The two walked over to the tanker and Claire helped Chase open the hood. "Fire it up real quick, Chase, but be ready to cut it at my call. I don't want the engine to heat up so I can't work on it. I just wanna hear the noise."

The cowboy did as he was told, and soon the engine was cut and Claire was climbing up with a bag of tools. "Probably just a fuel injector or two." She pulled out a pair of pliers and began popping off the fuel injector connectors. "Chase, I'm gonna need a lookout. The tank's gonna be OOC for a while."

"Not a problem, Claire." The cowboy climbed up on top of the tanker with his L85 assault rifle. They had added the M68 Aimpoint scope about two years earlier after finding it crudely attached to a rifle that was slung on the back of a lone infected deputy they had run across south of Phoenix. The scope had been a major asset to the convoy during the last two years. It was always good to be able to kill at long range.

* * *

Claire continued to work through the morning. It would have been easier if she had the appropriate tools, but since she was working with what she could find, it was a slow process.

By 11:00 it was _hot._ Not in just the classic Mojave Desert mid-summer kind of way either, it was hot in an unnatural way. The convoy leader could almost see the water evaporating from her skin. She'd pulled off her over shirt and twisted her ball cap around backward; this was normal for when she worked on the vehicles. This time however, she had also twisted her hair up in a messy bun and shoved it under her cap. Her sunglasses had kept sliding down, so they were now hanging from the neck of her tank top. She wiped the sweat from her brow with the oil rag.

Claire looked down just in time to see Alice passing by. "Hey Alice," she called out to the older woman. "Can you get K-Mart to come over here please?"

Alice nodded at the redhead. "Sure." It seemed the older woman had not let this morning's events affect her normal laconic responses.

A few minutes later, K-Mart shuffled up to the side of the tanker. Claire took in the sight of the younger woman as she approached. K-Mart had removed the tights that she almost _always_ wore – she had somehow managed to get the idea that her creamy skin was an unattractive feature, but Claire begged to differ. The girl had also removed her vest and her t-shirt and was clad only in her faded orange tank top and jean skirt. Claire noted the thin sheen of sweat that covered the blonde and she smiled as the girl looked up at her with a disgruntled huff.

"It's too hot for this, Claire. You're gonna have a heat stroke."

Claire's grin widened. "Oh, is it hot? I hadn't noticed. Besides, engines don't just fix themselves, K." She pulled the rag across her face once more and K-Mart giggled. Most likely at the smudges it left on her face. Claire rolled her eyes before remembering the last time she had needed to be cleaned up after working on a vehicle. K-Mart seemed to be remembering the same thing because the giggles stopped abruptly and she broke eye contact with the older woman.

"Can you look in the back of the deuce and grab me a couple of the fuel injectors we collected?" She tossed the old injector to K-Mart. "Looks like that. I need four."

The blonde looked up at her, and Claire could see the overall lassitude that had claimed the girl's movements. This heat was getting everyone down. Finally, K-Mart nodded and trudged off in the direction of the Army truck. It took the girl longer than it would've taken Claire to just hop down and run over to the truck to find the parts by herself, but after this morning, the redhead really wanted to put some normalcy back into their relationship. Things had started to take a dangerous turn and she was desperate to get back on track.

Once K-Mart had returned, Claire had the injectors changed in no time. She hooked the fuel lines back up and jumped down, slamming the hood with her. "I'm just gonna check some things underneath, Chase. Almost done," she called up to the man on top of the tanker.

"Take your time Claire. Everything's clear for now."

Claire crawled under the truck and began checking things. "Hey K, can you hand me that socket wrench?" she called from beneath the tanker. She turned her head just in time to catch the younger woman squat down to pass her the wrench. Without the tights on, Claire could easily see the pale blue underwear with little orange hearts. K-Mart's knees hit the ground and the hem of her skirt inched up her thighs. Claire blinked and cleared her throat. "Always the lady, huh K?" She didn't really expect the blonde to catch the meaning of her comment. As smart as K-Mart was, she was sometimes extremely ditzy. K-Mart didn't say anything. Instead, she placed her hands on her thighs and inched toward Claire on her knees. She stopped when she was flush with the tire, and Claire was almost positive that no one else in the convoy could see the young blonde.

The girl's knees spread wider causing the hem of her skirt to inch even higher up her thighs. Claire's mouth was suddenly so dry she felt like she had a mouthful of sand. K-Mart's fingers followed the hem of the skirt, before the blonde leaned forward, looking under the tanker at the older woman. "Did you say something?" Her voice was low, her words calculated. Her eyes were burning holes in Claire. But Claire had only briefly met the girl's stare. Her attention was focused slightly lower. She dragged her eyes slowly up the girl's body noting the arch of her back, the muscles of her arms – slightly straining to hold her weight – the dip in the neck of her tank top, and God – _she's not wearing a bra._ Claire groaned and the blonde's lips twitch into a smirk.

Something had seriously gone awry with the shy, soft-spoken girl she had picked up from the bathroom of the sporting goods section in a K-Mart store just outside of Raccoon City. She had never known K-Mart to be so…so _forward._ "I um…I don't actually remember." Claire's voice was unsteady. "I think you're right," she said after a few moments. "It's too hot to be under here." She started to roll out from under the truck when K-Mart shifted forward onto her elbows. The girl crawled toward her and Claire couldn't tear her eyes away from the way K-Mart's breasts were swaying as she crawled forward. She could just see the tops of the creamy swells before the neckline of K-Mart's shirt hid the rest. She could almost picture K-Mart's small, pink nipples.

Claire licked her lips, but her tongue was just as dry. The blonde stopped just inches from the older woman's face. "My eyes are up here, Claire."

Blue eyes snapped up to meet brown, but then, like a magnet they were drawn right back down the front of K-Mart's shirt. "If you're going to blatantly stare at me like that, at least _do _something about it, Claire. You can't just keep getting me all worked up with your eyes and then leaving me to fend for myself." She huffed out a heavy sigh. "Especially when I don't even really know _how_ to fend for myself." K-Mart flushed beautifully. Claire could tell admitting that hadn't truly been the girl's intent. The blonde's eyes lost the smug confidence that she had been displaying for the last couple days. "I mean – I tried after we – after you left me in the hummer." She spoke softly, almost shyly now. "I just couldn't get it right I guess…" She turned away, clearly ashamed. "I have all these thoughts, and feelings that just won't go away, and I don't know what to do with them. I just want them to go away!"

K-Mart looked on the verge of tears at this point. She turned to crawl out from under the truck when Claire reached out and grabbed her. The older woman had the blonde pinned to the sand before she could even register what had happened. K-Mart just lay there, staring up at the woman who was hovering above her. Claire took a deep breath. "Meet me in the hummer at 20:00." She quickly crawled off of the stunned girl and out from under the truck. K-Mart continued to lay there, so she held out a hand to the girl to help her up. Once they had both dusted the sand off of themselves, Claire went to go clean up in the hummer, and K-Mart took off in the opposite direction. Most likely in search of Carlos.

As Claire stood behind the hummer cleaning herself off with a rag and some water, she could feel the weight of someone's eyes on her. She figured it would be K-Mart but when she turned around to find no one, she immediately knew it was Alice. Wherever Alice was. She scanned the campsite until she found the woman sitting on a rock by herself. When the convoy leader's eyes met the older woman's, Alice didn't look away like Claire had expected her to. Instead, she held the redhead's eyes with a burning stare. _ Uh oh,_ Claire knew that look.

* * *

_A/N: Oh poor Claire. I really love teasing her for some reason. Now with two women focusing on her what EVER will she do?_


	7. Chapter 7

_Review Responses:_

_Sylina - Glad you're liking the story! It only gets hotter in my head, so we're all in for a wild ride ;-)_

_A Phantom's Muse - Oooooh, but I love to torture you. You personally, actually :-D I promise, within the next couple of chapters there will be SO much more teasing ::evil laugh::_

_jackjack09 - Still trying to update at least once a week. With my schedule it gets a little iffy sometimes because I travel a lot, but I'll try to keep you guys updated!_

_angelsgir - Thank you so much! I agree, I don't think Claire and K-Mart could have ridden in the same vehicle every day for a couple of years and not at least gotten a bit curious. I'm glad someone else feels the same way! :-D_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

Alice couldn't believe her ears. Her head snapped around to the direction the voices were coming from. The two women were across the camp from her, but her heightened senses made it easy for her to see exactly what was going on. She had been sitting on a stone sharpening her kukris when she had heard the muffled conversation. She hadn't meant to listen in, but the distress in K-Mart's voice had caused her to strain her sensitive hearing. "You can't just keep getting me all worked up with your eyes and then leaving me to fend for myself." Alice blinked rapidly. Apparently, Claire _was_ aware of the girl's affections. "Especially when I don't even really know _how_ to fend for myself."

Alice could almost _hear _the blush in the girl's voice. She trained her eyes on the two women under the fuel tanker. K-Mart was definitely blushing. "I mean – I tried after we – after you left me in the hummer." The admittance was almost whispered, but Alice heard it as clear as day. "I just couldn't get it right I guess…" She watched as the young blonde turned away, clearly ashamed. "I have all these thoughts and feelings that just won't go away, and I don't know what to do with them. I just want them to go away!"

Alice saw K-Mart start to crawl out from under the truck when Claire grabbed her and pinned her to the sand. All of Alice's muscles strained as she tried to keep her reaction hidden. Claire's voice filtered to Alice from across the camp. "Meet me in the hummer at 20:00." Alice watched as the two went their separate ways. Her eyes followed the redhead as she went to the hummer and started to clean the grease from her arms and hands.

The older woman wasn't sure how she should be reacting to this new piece of information, but she was almost positive that it shouldn't be with the low, tingle she was now feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes drilled into the convoy leader, watching. Every movement seemed to make the burn worsen. Suddenly, Claire turned and met her eyes. Alice knew she should look away, but she found herself incapable of such a movement. Her eyes continued drilling into the convoy leader, burning desire quite evident in her stare.

Claire's eyes were guarded. She held the gaze only for a few moments before she turned away and continued with her previous actions. Alice tore her eyes away from the redhead. She could feel her body tingling, almost as if the virus were awakening, crying out for blood. She forced herself to shut her eyes and take a few deep breaths, calming her blood, and her body. Probably a bad idea since the first thing she caught was a strong scent of arousal. Her body shuddered and she opened her eyes to see the young blonde coming her way.

K-Mart raised her chin in Alice's direction. "Hey Alice," she said softly. The younger girl sat down next to the older blonde. The rock was just big enough to hold both of them if their shoulders were brushing against each other.

Alice took a steadying breath, through her mouth this time. "Hey K-Mart. Is it hot enough for you?"

The younger girl blushed slightly. "Yeah, how exactly are you not sweating your butt off like the rest of us?"

Alice chuckled softly. "Something in my blood doesn't like extreme temperatures, so it regulates my body temperature to its own liking. But I can tell just by looking at you that it's a lot hotter today than it has been the past couple of days."

K-Mart wiped her arm across her brow. "Oh to have a regulated body temperature." She rolled her eyes at the older woman.

"It has its advantages, yes." She smiled at the younger girl, then got a wicked idea. She knelt in front of K-Mart and took the girl's heated face between her cool hands. "Better?"

K-Mart's sigh of relief was audible and her brown eyes fluttered closed. "Oh my Goooood, that feels amazing. I just want to pull you on top of me." Then she flushed a bright red instantly. Her eyes snapped open to Alice's amused face. "I mean – I didn't – that was – um…"

Alice smirked and cocked an eyebrow at the stuttering blonde. "I know what you meant K-Mart," she assured the embarrassed girl.

K-Mart swallowed loudly and Alice's eyes were drawn to the younger girl's throat. She could hear the blood stampeding through the girl's veins. Her eyes met K-Mart's and she cocked her head slightly to the side. "Do I make you nervous K-Mart?"

The question was genuine enough. She really didn't understand why the girl's heart was hammering so hard. She assumed that K-Mart at least felt a little bit of the apprehension that the others felt around her, but the blonde was great at hiding her fear. Unlike some of the others who wouldn't even glance in Alice's direction.

K-Mart took a moment to think before answering, blushing beautifully as she did so. Her eyes dropped to the desert ground shyly. "Isn't it normal to be nervous around a beautiful woman?"

Alice blinked. That, she had not expected. It had been a while since somebody had truly caught her off guard. She dropped her hands from K-Mart's face.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean anything by that. Just that – I mean you _are_ beautiful. I didn't mean to upset you."

Alice smiled at the blonde. "You didn't upset me, K-Mart. It's just been a while since anyone has given me a compliment. You caught me off guard."

K-Mart gave the older woman a half-smile. "Good." She grabbed Alice's hands and brought them back to her face, before slowly trailing them down to her neck.

Alice smirked. "Now you're just using me." She chuckled at the mock hurt on the teenager's face.

"I would _never,_" K-Mart started before giggling. "Okay, maybe I am. But you may need to use me for something one day, so we'll just say I owe you a favor."

Alice snorted. "And what could I possibly need to use you for? Comic relief?" She nudged the girl with her knee.

K-Mart's smile was genuine and playful. "I don't know. Claire says I'm good for taking the edge off."

Alice's eyebrows almost disappeared under her shaggy bangs. "Oh I bet you are." Her raspy voice was oozing sexual innuendo.

K-Mart must have caught Alice's tone because, again, she flushed brilliantly. She shook her head and mumbled something about not talking ever again. "I just mean I'm really good at listening to people when they need to get things off their chest." She huffed. "I really need to start thinking things through before I say them."

Alice chuckled again. "I don't know K-Mart. I think you're much more entertaining this way." She winked at the younger girl, who, as if on command, blushed and looked away. Alice was sure if the girl blushed anymore there would be no blood reaching other parts of her body. The blonde finally let the older woman's hands fall away from her neck. She looked into Alice's blue-green eyes questioningly.

"Do you really think that the infection hasn't made it all the way to Alaska?" Her face was resigned, but her voice was clearly hopeful. "I mean, do you think we could start over there?"

Alice took her former seat beside the younger girl and exhaled slowly. "I think it's definitely a possibility," she answered cautiously. "It's just one of those things that you can't pass up, ya know? Even if there's only a small chance, you can't pass it up." The older woman shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "But, who knows how long before the infection reaches even the most remote parts of the world." She held the younger girl's brown eyes. "Nothing lasts forever, K-Mart. There's no place that is truly safe as long as the virus is still out there."

K-Mart nodded in understanding. "I just wish we could stop running, that's all." She looked over at the convoy leader who was chatting with L.J. "It's draining the life from her."

Alice followed the younger girl's gaze. "You love her don't you?" she asked quietly. She already knew the answer, of course, but she felt like K-Mart might need to say it out loud before she would come to the conclusion herself.

The blonde studied the older woman guardedly, her eyes puzzling over something. She shrugged. "She saved my life," was all that the girl said, as if this were answer enough. And in truth, it was all that needed to be said. Maybe K-Mart didn't understand the full extent of her feelings for the convoy leader, but Alice was positive that the younger girl at least had an idea.

As if sensing she were the topic of conversation, the convoy leader started to make her way over to the pair, her eyes taking in their close proximity. She looked at K-Mart questioningly before turning her attention to Alice. "You got a minute?"

"Sure." Alice stood and started to make her way toward the redhead. She noticed Claire's eyes flicker back to K-Mart for a moment and watched as something very close to jealousy passed over the convoy leader's features. Alice didn't understand at first, but then it dawned on her. "We were just talking about you," she said softly so that only the redhead would be able to hear.

Claire's eyes cut to the older woman and she started to lead Alice across the camp. "Oh yeah? Should I be concerned?" While her tone was serious, Alice could tell that the convoy leader was teasing her.

"I guess that depends on what concerns you," Alice said, teasing back. Her eyes captured the redhead's and held them. A wicked glint entered Alice's eyes as she smirked at the convoy leader. "I assume a beautiful woman like you is used to people drooling over her."

Claire's eyes widened. "K-Mart doesn't drool over me," she stated seriously.

Had it been anyone but Alice, she might have gotten away with it. "Please, Claire. My sense of smell isn't the only thing that's enhanced." Alice knew that her statement would enlighten the convoy leader on the fact that she knew that Claire hadn't been having a nightmare this morning. "My hearing and vision are also beyond measure." She cast a glance at the fuel tanker, and then back to Claire.

Recognition dawned on the redhead's face. She narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Listen, it's hard enough leading a convoy of mostly men who are almost twice my age. If people start to doubt my focus..."

"Claire," the older woman cut her off. "It isn't my intention to let your secret out."

The convoy leader looked at her suspiciously. "Then what's with the cryptic phrasing?"

Alice paused. She wasn't sure the best way to go about this without upsetting the younger woman. "Look," she started. "I don't know what you have planned for tonight," Claire tensed noticeably. "But I was going to offer to keep watch of the hummer, so you don't get interrupted."

Claire's face was a mask of confused emotions and Alice could tell that she had thrown the redhead for a loop. "It's not what you think Alice. I wasn't going to…" she broke off, collecting her thoughts. "She's too young."

Finally Alice had the root of the problem. "How old _is_ K-Mart anyway?" she asked the convoy leader softly. She didn't want her tone to come off as judgmental, so she reached out and brushed Claire's forearm with her fingertips.

Claire looked down at where Alice's cool fingers touched her burning skin. "She'll be eighteen in a few days." She couldn't keep the defensive tone out of her voice.

Alice looked at the redhead, eyes filled with compassion. "That's why you won't…" she broke off not really knowing how to delicately finish the thought.

Claire bristled. "That's none of your business," she spat venomously. Alice's fingers closed around her arm as she tried to pull away.

"Claire, she needs you." The older woman spoke sympathetically and her eyes never left the redhead's. "She's confused. She doesn't understand her body. She looks up to you as more than just the leader of the convoy, Claire. She looks to you for answers. She relies on your knowledge to help her sort through what she can't figure out on her own. She certainly doesn't act like an eighteen-year-old girl in terms of maturity." Alice chuckled. "I'd say she's more like a thirty-year-old in that sense. But she's still naïve in some aspects. Her world stopped with the outbreak. The things that she would have learned between then and now, she's only learned the things that you've taught her." Alice searched Claire's face. "And how many times have you left her alone for long enough to actually try to figure certain things out on her own?" Her tone was playful, but the question was serious. "She loves you, and maybe it's hero worship, or a bastardized version of _daddy complex_ but there's a good chance that it's simple and real." She shook her head and smiled sadly. "Claire we have to take love when life offers it…"

Claire stared at the older woman. "You don't get it do you?" Her voice wasn't angry or upset, just questioning. "K-Mart has somehow managed to hold onto that uncomplicated innocence even in the midst of all of this violence and corruption." Her face hardened. "I can't be the one who takes that from her."

"She's an eighteen-year-old girl, Claire. It's going to happen eventually. Wouldn't you rather it be with someone who cares about her?" Alice knew Claire couldn't argue with her logic. "Just think it over."

Claire nodded, finally leading Alice over to Carlos and the others. They discussed the upcoming raid in Vegas. They didn't want to leave out any details. Only with proper preparation could they accomplish what they were aiming for.

* * *

By 20:00 the entire group was exhausted. Alice caught the convoy leader's eyes, and both women stood and started making their way toward the hummer. Claire opened the back hatch to find K-Mart stretched out reading a book of poetry. She climbed in beside the younger girl and gave Alice a grateful look as she closed the hatch.

Alice leaned against the back bumper and tried to tune out the conversation that was happening inside the hummer. It was harder than she expected because her name kept coming up.

"This is purely instructional, K." Claire's voice was soft, but laced with authority. Alice shook her head. _Well, at least it's a step in the right direction,_ she thought.

"But Alice is right there," K-Mart stated nervously. "_Listening,"_ the girl continued. "She'll hear us." Alice could easily hear the embarrassment in the younger girl's voice.

"She's not going to listen to us, K. Alice is there to make sure no one comes banging on the window again. Now come 'ere."

Alice could hear the muffled sound of movement. "First things first, I guess," the convoy leader started. "Do you know the different parts of your anatomy?"

Alice knew K-Mart's face would be burning red at this point, and she nearly blushed with sympathy. K-Mart's answer was a shy, "Um…not exactly, I guess." Alice closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Claire began her explanation to the younger girl.

Alice was attempting to meditate when the convoy leader's voice broke her concentration once again. "Just put your fingers on it as I go over it, K. It'll help you remember. Follow along with what I say. You feel that hard, little nub at the top?"

K-Mart sucked in a breath sharply. "Yeah," she exhaled the word.

"That's your clitoris. You can just gently rub it, or make circles around it with your fingers."

Alice could hear the embarrassment in the redhead's voice, but she also heard the desire. She shook her head. She couldn't keep listening to this and keep a clear head. She walked a few paces from the car and began to focus on all of the other sounds she could hear. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her.

"Hey Alice," Carlos called. "Have you seen Claire?"

Alice nodded toward the hummer, but caught her friend by the arm. "K-Mart was upset, so she's having a talk with her." It wasn't _exactly_ a lie.

Carlos looked a little hurt. "K-Mart usually comes to me to talk when she's upset," he stated sadly. "Wonder what's up."

Alice shook her head. "Girl talk, Carlos."

"Oh…_oh!" _Realization crossed Carlos's face. "I see. Well I'll just – I'll just catch Claire later." Alice chuckled. Carols didn't want to be any part of _girl talk._

Her senses briefly honed in on the hummer. "Oh. Oh God, Claire," was all she heard before she snapped her attention away again. Eyes wide and facial muscles strained, she went back to focusing on the sounds of the desert.

* * *

_A/N: So I'm posting one chapter tonight and one tomorrow because they are set during the same timeframe just with different POVs. Hope you enjoy._

_What has Alice gotten herself into this time? It's amazing she was able to hold out for that long. I know if Claire and K-Mart were touching and moaning three feet away from me I would've totally crashed that party from the get-go. What do y'all think? Is Claire being too wishy-washy?_


	8. Chapter 8

_Review responses:_

_PrincessLia – Thank you so much! Hopefully I can keep the hotness going :-)_

_MuchLove4Loki – Aww thanks :-) I try to put a lot of thought into my writing to make sure it all makes sense and flows well. Will update soon, I promise!_

_placebo5 – Haha, I have to keep the steam in the story so you guys will keep coming back. Plus I mean, three beautiful women in a convoy at the end of the world, most of my fantasies start out that way. LoL ;-)_

_kluve – You just keeping coming back for more torture huh? I love it! Thanks for being so supportive of this story! I'm glad I could put you into Claire's boots for a while ;-) We'll see what happens during the next couple of chapters. I think K-Mart is reaching wit's end. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

K-Mart's POV

Her talk with Alice had upset her. Not for any reasons that she could pinpoint, but all the same, she was upset. She tried to discern exactly what part of the conversation had made her feel this way, and she could only figure it was the last part, the part where Alice had asked her if she loved Claire.

Of course she loved Claire, was that even a question? Thinking of Claire just made her remember the last thing the convoy leader had said to her. _Meet me in the hummer at 20:00._ K-Mart shivered. What did Claire mean by that? Was she finally going to give in? All the blonde could think about was how much she wanted to touch and be touched by the redhead. She could still remember what Claire's lips had tasted like, what the redhead's hand had felt like, burning against her thigh. K-Mart shivered again. 20:00 couldn't get here soon enough.

She decided to pass the time with Mikey in the news van. She had had a crush on the Australian when she was younger, before she realized what her feelings for Claire meant. His accent was adorable, and he was always very charming. But she had fallen into a comfortable relationship with him now, and she looked at him as if he were an older brother. Often they would have a movie on one of the screens while Mikey kept watch of the perimeter cameras.

This particular night, they had chosen _Forbidden Planet_. K-Mart loved old sci-fi flicks. They were her absolute favorite, especially this particular one. She had always loved how Anne Francis's character falls in love with the man who rescued her.

"So what do you think about Alice, mate?" Mikey's voice interrupted the movie.

K-Mart looked at her friend curiously. "I think she's great," she answered honestly. "I mean she saved our butts, that's always okay in my book."

Their laughter drifted through the quiet camp. "It doesn't hurt that she's pretty easy on the eyes," Mikey said dreamily and the blonde swatted his arm. He chuckled. "You have to admit, she's incredibly sexy."

K-Mart scrunched her face and smiled. "It's the voice, it just _does_ things to me," she admitted shyly.

The Aussie chuckled. "Right? I always knew you had great taste." He reached over and ruffled the blonde's hair.

K-Mart gazed at her friend with new eyes. Mikey hadn't even missed a beat. It was as if she had just stated that she liked the color blue instead of admitting that she was attracted to another woman. She felt her affection for him swell, and grinned at the young man. "Okay, maybe it's the outfit too."

Again their laughter filtered through the campsite. They fell into easy conversation and continued watching their movie until it was time for K-Mart to meet Claire. "Well, I had a blast as always. Same time tomorrow?"

"Of course, mate." Mikey smiled and ruffled her hair again gaining a scowl from the younger girl. "G'night, K-mart."

"See ya, Mikey." She made her way back to the hummer and climbed inside. She still had a few minutes before Claire would be there, so she pulled out one of her books and started to read.

* * *

She was completely engrossed in Walt Whitman when she heard the back hatch open. She turned to find Claire, flanked by Alice. Without a word, the convoy leader climbed into the hummer and closed the hatch.

K-Mart could see Alice lean against the bumper outside the back window. She knew no one could see in through the dusty, tinted windows, but she was a little unnerved that Alice seemed as if she was going to stay.

"Hey," Claire spoke softly. "About earlier, we can talk about this but…" she trailed off. "This is purely instructional, K."

K-Mart could hear the resolve in Claire's voice. _Instructional? What was instructional? _Then it dawned on K-Mart. Her eyes went wide and she glanced at Alice leaning up against the back window. "But Alice is right there," K-Mart said timidly. "_Listening,"_ she continued. "She'll hear us." There was probably nothing that K-Mart wanted more than for Claire to touch her right now, but with Alice _right there?_

"She's not going to listen to us, K. Alice is there to make sure no one comes banging on the window again. Now come 'ere." Claire nodded for her to get closer.

The blonde crawled over to where the convoy leader motioned.

"First things first, I guess," Claire started hesitantly. "Do you know the different parts of your anatomy?"

K-Mart's face went crimson. "Um…not exactly, I guess." She looked away from Claire and consequently ended up with her eyes locked onto the back of Alice's head. It only served to remind her that Alice was right outside, probably hearing everything that was said. She blushed even darker.

"Well," Claire continued. "I guess it'll be easier for you to just get the feel of it. Here, sit beside me so this will be less embarrassing for you. You won't have to look at me." Claire patted the spot next to her and the blonde scooted over. "Well, go head and put your hand under your skirt, K. And just push your underwear to the side."

K-Mart's head snapped around so fast it's amazing she didn't get whiplash. "W-what?" she asked the redhead uncertainly. "You want me to – to touch myself? _Here?_ In front of you?"

Claire shook her head. "Not in front of me, K. That's why you're beside me, so I can't see you. I'm not here to watch you, just to – instruct you." Claire was blushing. When was the last time K-Mart had ever seen Claire Redfield blush? She couldn't pinpoint ever having seen that happen. It made her smile a little.

Claire's words sank in and finally K-Mart realized what the older woman was trying to do. "You're going to teach me how to masturbate?"

Claire's face darkened a shade. "Well I – when you say it like that it just sounds – crude. Fuck, K, I don't know what I'm doing. I just thought it might help you take the edge off." The older woman was flustered.

"Don't curse, Claire," K-Mart scolded softly. The blonde was reminded of her earlier words to Alice and chided herself inwardly for not really catching what she had been implying. "I appreciate the fact that you're trying to help me. I just wasn't expecting…_this._" She motioned at their surroundings.

"What'd you think – " Claire stopped halfway through her sentence and her face softened. "K, I told you we can't. I can't…" she didn't finish the thought.

"I know," the blonde answered. "I just thought maybe you had changed your mind. It's okay Claire, I – I understand. I appreciate your – assistance?" It came out more as a question than a statement, but she let it drop.

Claire took a deep breath. "Okay well, hand under the skirt, we'll get this over with as quickly as possible."

K-Mart reached beneath her skirt and pushed her underwear aside. She took a shaky breath and waited for further instruction.

"Okay, feel where the hair is? That's technically called the _mons pubis _or I guess normal people call it your pubic mound." Claire's voice was starting to take on a distressed pitch. "So next if you go down just a little bit further. Those are _labia_. The ones on the outside are called _labia majora, _and the ones tucked inside are the _labia menora." _Claire swallowed loudly.

"Just put your fingers on it as I go over it, K. It'll help you remember. Follow along with what I say. You feel that hard, little nub at the top?"

K-Mart inhaled sharply at the tingling sensation her fingers were causing, or was it the tone of Claire's voice and the knowledge that the older woman was directly beside her that cause the tingling? "Yeah," she exhaled the word.

"That's your clitoris. You can just gently rub it, or make circles around it with your fingers. That's the biggest part of masturbation for most people."

K-Mart did just that. Her eyes fluttered closed. "Oh!" She breathed out shakily.

Claire turned her head away from the younger girl. "You can also put your fingers inside of yourself and – "

K-Mart pulled her hand out from under her skirt and rounded on Claire. "What? No way!" She shook her head rapidly. "That is – I mean, that just seems like it would be painful."

K-Mart turned the information over and over in her head. Her hand drifted back beneath her skirt and she began to rub herself through her panties. Then her face scrunched up and she looked at the older woman. "How do I know if I'm doing it right?" She continued to rub herself as she waited for the answer.

Claire's eyes dropped down to where the blonde's hand disappeared beneath her skirt. Her gazed was trained on how the muscles of K-Mart's forearm were gently straining under her skin. She took a deep, steadying breath, letting her eyes fall closed, before sliding behind the younger woman and wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist. "Do you trust me, K?" She whispered into the girl's ear.

"Of course I do." The answer came without hesitation, though K-Mart was barely coherent in her thoughts. She could feel the heat from Claire's body surrounding her. She could feel the older woman's chest pressed tightly against her back. She could feel Claire's hot breath in her ear. All the while, she had never stopped her gentle rubbing. Though it was quickly becoming a little less gentle.

Suddenly, Claire's hand was sliding down her forearm. Her touch was fire and K-Mart's movement halted. The redhead didn't stop until her hand was resting softly on top of the younger woman's. Then, after a moment of hesitation and a deep breath, she moved both of their hands upward grazing the soft skin where K-Mart's thigh connected to her groin. Their hands trailed along the blonde's lower abdomen before gently pushing beneath her panties and descending.

K-Mart sucked in a quick breath as she felt her own fingers, guided by Claire's, softly touching her folds. The contact instantly sent a new flood of sensations through her body and she could feel her own wetness. She knew that she shouldn't, but she couldn't help spreading her fingers slightly to where Claire's slipped in between hers. Her hips jerked into their intertwined fingers involuntarily. The feeling of the redhead's fingertips gently grazing through her wetness made her groan loudly. "Oh. Oh God, Claire."

Claire's fingers tightened around K-Mart's and she began moving their hands up and down, their fingertips circling the blonde's clit on every upstroke. K-Mart's hips were moving constantly now, in rhythm with their movements. Claire breathed out shakily and let her head fall forward until her lips were just grazing the younger woman's neck. She didn't make any conscious effort to kiss or lick the skin, but she let her lips linger against K-Mart's pulse point.

The redhead pulled away slightly and whispered in K-Mart's ear. "Now you know you're doing it correctly." She pulled her hand away from the younger woman, and slid out from behind her.

K-Mart groaned at the loss of contact and she rounded on Claire. "Does it feel even better when someone else does it?" She asked with curiosity.

The convoy leader met K-Mart's gaze and answered honestly. "About a hundred times."

K-Mart's eyes darkened and her hands went to Claire's chest, pushing the redhead until she was lying against the floor of the hummer. Claire didn't resist and it urged the younger girl to go further. The blonde's hand brushed along the seam of Claire's pants causing the older woman to exhale hotly. "Oh. Fuck." Claire's hands were gripping at K-Mart's shoulders pulling the smaller girl closer toward her.

K-Mart buried her face in Claire's neck and smiled against her skin. "I guess it does feel better, huh?" She wiggled her fingers under the waistband of Claire's pants and underwear and her fingers slid into wet heat. K-Mart exhaled into the redhead's ear causing Claire's hips to jerk forward into the younger girl's hand. "You're so…_wet._ Did I do that? Is that because of me?" K-Mart was just about to plunge her fingers inside of Claire, when the older woman seemed to come to her senses.

The redhead locked her fingers around K-Mart's wrist and yanked the girl's hand from her pants. "K-Mart. No. This can't happen. Not now. Not while you're…" she didn't finish. "It just can't. Just – try it – on yourself." She opened the back hatch and stumbled out of the hummer and into the night.

K-Mart sat in the hummer staring at the fingers that had _almost _been inside of the object of her desire. She had _almost_ been inside of Claire Redfield. She sat up, pulled her hand to her nose, and breathed in deeply, the fingers moving to gently rest upon her lips. Her eyes fluttered close and a low groan escaped. Claire's scent was unlike anything she had ever experienced. When she reopened her eyes she was face to face with an amused smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Jesus, Alice. You scared the heck out of me!" She hopped down from the hummer.

Alice turned to face the younger girl. "Learn anything useful?"

The blood rushed to K-Mart's face right on cue. She knew Alice had been listening. For some reason, instead of being angry or upset with the older woman, she was just _hot._ The thought of Alice listening to what had just happened made her start to tingle again.

Beside her, Alice inhaled deeply. Her blue-green eyes caught K-Mart's curiously before the older woman jogged off into the night in the direction the convoy leader had gone.

* * *

_A/N: Left hanging again? What's a girl to do? K-Mart is seriously going to have to start taking matters into her own hands. Haha, sorry, I love bad puns!__ So this chapter started out ridiculously steamier, but I toned it down because I didn't want to lose audience, and because I didn't want Claire and K-Mart to go all the way so to speak. If you guys want me to post it as a one-shot, let me know._


	9. Chapter 9

_Review responses:_

_PrincessLia – Haha, Alice was definitely torn at that moment, I know this because 'I' was torn at that moment wondering whether I should have Alice crawl in the hummer with K, or chase after Claire. Truly her heart must lie with the redhead. I hope that chapter 8 was what you were looking for. I posted the original chapter 8 as a one-shot entitled "A Lesson on Survival." I had to tweak it a bit to make it stand on it's own. You should check it out if you haven't._

_kluve – I agree, Claire definitely hasn't chosen K-Mart over Alice. I try to make it known that Claire is yearning for Alice without having to just outright say it ya know? But if someone didn't teach K-Mart how to survive she was going to explode soon! K-Mart had to do something! Claire always stays right on the edge of 'proper.' I'm sure it drives the poor girl bonkers. It was really only a matter of time until K started humping Claire's leg. I'm glad you like my K-Mart; she's so fun to write. I love when I can start a character off shy and insecure and then follow them through their transformation into self-confidence._

_Daleksec-dmz – I'm glad you've decided to embark on this journey with us instead of sitting on the sidelines waiting for it to be finished! I like to keep the tension in the story. I have the most fun writing the scenes that are just jam-packed any kind of tension. With this story it's been mostly sexual tension, but in a few chapters there will be more action. I promise I won't leave you hanging! I'm having too much fun with this story to drop it. :-)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Claire's POV

What the _hell_ had she just done? Claire stood there on the outskirts of the camp hyperventilating. _Did I _seriously_ just make K-Mart masturbate for me? _She had honestly just wanted to help the girl. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Way less destructive than the alternative. That was until she was actually in the back of the hummer sitting beside K-Mart telling her to put her hand up her skirt. "Uggggghhhhh." She couldn't help the groan. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ She seriously considered just walking beyond the perimeter cameras and not stopping, but she couldn't just abandon the convoy like that. She had a duty to these people, to protect them, to lead them.

She could still feel the blood hammering in her clit. Four years. It had been four years since the outbreak. And before that? She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had been intimate with someone. Her last girlfriend had been in her senior year of high school. Had it really been _that_ long? Sure her job had made it sort of difficult to meet the sort of girls she was into, but _that _long_? There had been that one woman, at the club. _That didn't count! No wonder she was going crazy.

She was considering which vehicle she could sleep in that night that would arouse the least suspicion when strong arms wrapped around her from behind. One locked around her waist, the other around her chest, and she knew by the toned muscles straining under the pale skin that it was Alice. Claire fought to get away but Alice tightened her grip. The redhead felt her back mold to the older woman's front.

"Shhhhh, just breathe, Claire. Breathe with me."

Claire could feel the measured rise and fall of Alice's chest against her back, and she struggled to match the woman's breathing. She had made such a mess of tonight. How was she ever going to look K-Mart in the eyes again?

Claire let her head fall back against Alice's shoulder. "How did I _ever _think that that was a good idea?" She shook her head trying to clear the images that were flashing through her mind. "I can't believe that just happened. Please tell me that didn't just happen."

"Claire," Alice's voice was low and soothing. "K-Mart is fine. Everything is fine," she assured the younger woman. "She's a little confused, and more than a little hot and bothered, but she's not upset with you. I think she just doesn't understand why you keep holding back when it's so obvious that you both want the same thing." Alice's lips were just far enough from Claire's ear to not touch the skin, but the redhead could feel the older woman's breath fanning against the side of her face and neck. She shivered.

Alice's arms loosened around her and the convoy leader turned to face the blonde. After taking in Alice's serious features, she let her head fall forward to rest on the taller woman's shoulder again. Alice's scent was a mixture of sweat, gunpowder, and something Claire could only define as an _Alice-y _musk. The smell was far from disagreeable and Claire inhaled deeply. Her hands trailed up the older woman's spine and she turned her head slightly so that her lips brushed against the smooth skin of Alice's neck.

Alice gripped the redhead's hips firmly. "Claire." Her voice was low and strained. "We should get back before someone comes looking for us."

The convoy leader shook her head. "I can't go back to K-Mart! I'm not sure I can look her in the eyes yet." The embarrassment surged within her again. It was so strong it nearly made her dizzy.

Alice led the redhead in the opposite direction from the hummer. "We'll just sit by the fire and chat for a while until you calm down." She sat down, stretching out her legs and Claire followed suit. For a few moments, both women were silent.

"What did you do before all of this, Alice?" Claire's sudden question seemed to catch Alice off guard. She looked away and Claire could tell that the older woman didn't want to answer the question. The blonde had a look on her face like she was debating on whether she should lie or answer truthfully.

Finally, after a slow breath, she answered. "I worked for the Umbrella Corporation."

Claire inhaled sharply. "I had a feeling you were going to say something like that." She tried to hide the concern and distrust on her face, but she was sure Alice had already seen it.

Alice continued as if the convoy leader had never interrupted. "I was head of security at a secret high-tech facility called the Hive, a giant underground laboratory developing experimental viral weaponry." She took another deep breath. "The first few years, I was completely unaware of the secret research going on. The facility under my purview was supposed to work strictly with de-aging pharmaceuticals." She caught the redhead's eyes and Claire could tell that Alice wasn't lying to her. "When I started suspecting something was wrong, I began investigating secretly. It took months before I could gain the trust of someone on the inside. But finally, one of the laboratory technicians started talking to me. She was actually a reporter who was going to expose Umbrella for what they really were."

Alice's eyes clouded over with memories. "We were going to steal the virus so that we could bring Umbrella down. I was supposed to make sure she was able to get it past security." The older woman's hand sought out the redhead's and clamped onto it. "Everything would have gone as scheduled, but my security partner had somehow caught wind of our plan, and he was greedy. I remember calling my contact on the morning the virus was released. She was worried. She told me she had gone to the pick up point to get the virus and there was nothing there. My partner Spence, decided to take the virus for himself and sell it on the black market to the highest bidder. He stole the virus, but before he left, he released it into the Hive. I still remember the last thing my contact said to me. She said she had to go because there was a fire drill." Her voice was full of pain and guilt. "Everyone died. Problem was, as you know, they didn't stay dead."

Claire stared at the blonde sympathetically. Her hand let go of Alice's and settled on the older woman's knee. Her thumb stroked soothingly against Alice's leg, urging the woman to continue.

"Spence thought that the virus would be contained to the facility, but he was wrong." She looked deep into Claire's eyes almost as if she were begging the redhead for forgiveness. "I was above ground at the time, in a mansion that was located directly over the Hive. It concealed the entrance of the train system that led into the main facility. When the artificial intelligence locked the Hive down, it triggered the mansion's defenses as well. I woke up hours later, not even remembering my own name."

Alice's voice thickened with contempt. "Umbrella's soldiers came to clean up the mess, but even they didn't know the extent of what we were all getting into. When we got down there, our mission was to shut down the Red Queen, the artificial intelligence that had gone homicidal. Umbrella wanted to find out exactly what had gone on. But once we shut her down, we opened the proverbial floodgates. All of the locks went down with her. Doors opened and unleashed everything that she had been attempting to contain. Only two of us survived. If you can really call this surviving."

Alice's pupils dilated until there was only a thin ring of blue-green iris left. She stared at the sand before the fire and brought it to life in a mini-whirlwind. Claire stared. The sand dancing in the flames was beautiful, but all too soon it disappeared. "After the virus escaped the Hive, it devastated Raccoon City within hours, then the rest of the U.S. in weeks." She looked out across the dark desert. "If I would have just completed my mission, none of this would have happened."

Her voice was laced with so much guilt that it was almost overwhelming for Claire. She knelt in front of Alice, both hands on the older woman's knees. "Alice, this isn't your fault." She continued even though the blonde looked away from her, self-contempt clear on her face. "None of this is. It's not your fault. You were actively trying to bring Umbrella down. You were betrayed." Claire chuckled darkly, bringing Alice's attention back to the younger woman. "If anything, it sounds to me like you were trying to be a super hero before all of this started."

She took Alice's face gently between her hands. "There's not much more you could have done, Alice." She hoped that the older woman could see the sincerity in her eyes. She wondered if Alice had had her abilities at the time of the outbreak, but she had a nagging feeling that the woman's super-human traits were tied directly to Umbrella.

Alice finally met the redhead's eyes. "I'm not a hero, Claire. I'm a monster. I barely feel human. I don't even know if I'm alive or dead. Maybe in between. The things I can do…I didn't ask for this."

Claire forced the older woman to hold her gaze. She really wanted to ask Alice how she had gained her abilities, but she felt she had dug far enough for one night. "Alice you are more human than any of those bastards working for Umbrella. You may not think you're a hero, but everyone in this convoy is alive today because of you. _You_ saved us." Her thumb softly brushed against Alice's chapped lips and she gave the older woman a half-smile. The redhead dug into the leather pouch she kept attached to her belt and pulled out a small canister of lip balm. She coated her fingertips and brought them to the older woman's lips gently applying the salve. Her eyes followed the path her fingers were taking, her face a mask of determination. After what felt like hours, she put the can away and looked back to find Alice's eyes burning into her.

"Before you came here Alice, these people…this convoy, we were doomed. Even before the crows." The redhead's eyes shifted to the sand. "They had nothing to hope for, nothing to keep them going. They were losing the will to live. _I_ was losing the will to live." She took the older woman's hands. "Dark history or not, even if you think that you're half dead, your presence here has brought me back to life." She softly placed her hand on Alice's chest and felt the woman's heart pounding. The redhead smiled brightly. "You feel _very _alive to me."

Alice covered Claire's hand with her own and held it tightly to her chest. She leaned forward until her forehead rested against the redhead's. "Maybe you brought me back to life too," she whispered, tilting her head back and capturing the younger woman's lips. The kiss was chaste. Filled with more gratitude than passion, but it set Claire's blood on fire. It was over as quickly as it had started.

Claire stared into Alice's blue-green eyes. "There's something about you, I haven't put my finger on it yet, but it's right there on the tip of my tongue. You seem so familiar almost." The convoy leader glanced to her right just in time to see K-Mart peeking around the hummer at them. The younger girl was wide-eyed and her mouth was slightly ajar. "Perfect." She sighed. "I think we may have just broken K-Mart."

Alice whipped her head around to the young blonde by the hummer. She caught K-Mart's eyes and breathed in deeply. "Well, I guess that depends on your definition of _broken_," she chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Claire questioned the older woman.

"I don't think she's upset about it, but our little kiss definitely had an effect on her." She looked at the redhead with a raised eyebrow.

Claire studied the older woman curiously. "What _exactly_ do you mean?"

Alice smirked once again. "She's turned on, Claire. By us."

The redhead dropped her face into her hands and groaned. "Will things _ever_ get easy again? Oh, who am I kidding? What's new? That girl is _constantly_ turned on!" The two fell into an easy laughter that filtered around the campsite. They earned a couple of odd glances from a few convoy members, but Claire didn't mind. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed, even if it did feel a bit forced. She watched as K-Mart rounded to the passenger side of the hummer getting ready for bed.

* * *

They remained by the fire until almost midnight, talking casually about nothing in particular, bands they had listened to, movies they had wanted to see before the world had ended.

"Come on," Alice said, standing from her spot in front of the fire. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow. We should get some rest." She offered the convoy leader her hand and pulled the woman to her feet. They set off in the direction of the hummer.

It wasn't until she had situated herself into the driver's seat that Claire realized K-Mart wasn't with her. She spotted the girl in the back seat as Alice was climbing in. "Looks like you've got company tonight."

Alice glanced at the sleeping girl. K-Mart was leaned against the door with her head resting on the window. The older woman smiled. "She looks so peaceful."

Claire chuckled quietly. "Yeah it's hard to imagine what a mess of raging teenage hormones she is in the daylight hours." She grinned at the woman in the back seat. "Can you lean her over on the seat without waking her? I don't like her being that close to the glass."

Claire watched as Alice wrapped her arm around the younger girl, hand gently supporting K-Mart's face as she leaned the girl over until her head was resting against the bench seat. Claire was amazed at how tender Alice could be, when just the other day she had watched the woman destroy hundreds of infected birds with only the power of her mind. The redhead noticed K-Mart's hands searching the seat. "She's looking for me," she whispered to Alice. "I usually let her use my lap as a pillow."

Alice raised an eyebrow at Claire, questioning. Claire smiled and nodded. The older woman scooted over and lifted K-Mart's head onto her thigh. The young blonde immediately tucked her fingers under Alice's knee and settled in her sleep. Alice stared at her lap, then at Claire. "This doesn't bother you?" She questioned. "I know how you feel about her, at least, how you feel physically. I can only guess that it comes attached to emotions."

Claire sighed, but smiled at the older woman. "Yeah, there are emotions. I don't quite think they're the emotions you think they are. I don't really know…" She trailed off with a thoughtful expression on her face. "At first it was so easy for me to see her as the younger sister I never had growing up. Finding her in that K-Mart store, she was like a breath of fresh air to me. She made me want to protect her, which made me want to protect people. K-Mart's the reason this convoy is even together. Before her, I just wanted to get myself out of the city and find my – find a place where it would be safe. When I found her, I knew I could never let anything happen to her." She looked deep into the older woman's eyes. "Alice, I can feel your protectiveness for her too, and no, it doesn't bother me. It's actually a sort of relief, knowing that if I fail, someone will still be there to watch out for her." She looked down at the sleeping girl and back to Alice.

"But I can't say I blame her." She locked onto Alice's eyes. "She sure knows how to pick 'em." Claire swore that Alice was blushing, but in the low light, she couldn't be certain. She gave the woman a half-smile, as she looked down at K-Mart and noticed a smirk on the girl's face as well. _Little faker. _She rolled her eyes as she turned back in her seat. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on between the three of them. She loved K-Mart, but she didn't know _how_ she loved her, and sure, she was physically attracted to Alice, but could she trust the former Umbrella operative? She didn't really see a future for any of them.

Maybe in another life she could have humored such thoughts, but she was forced to live in reality. There was no room for relationships. Extreme emotions only clouded your judgment. She was already in deep enough with K-Mart emotionally. She couldn't picture losing the girl, but add to that a head full of memories of whispered promises and passion-filled nights, and you had a recipe for disaster. Claire was almost certain that Alice would never let any harm come to the young blonde. Maybe K-Mart could find a place with Alice. The thought saddened her somewhat, but she pushed it from her mind and tried for sleep. Tomorrow was sure to be a long day. She wished she'd held onto those damn cigarettes. In the aftermath of the crow incident she had handed out the packs to the guys. She hadn't even kept one for herself.

* * *

_A/N: Claire's confused and guilt-ridden? What's new? Alice to the rescue! We got to find out a little bit of Alice's mysterious past in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed! Let me know!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Review Responses:_

_PrincessLia – My faithful reviewers! You and kluve always have something to say! I love reading your comments, it makes me want to keep posting! I'm glad to hear you're still liking the fic, and it's GREAT to know that you can relate to my characters, that's what I aim for the most :-) I'm actually a giant goofball at heart, so I have to throw in the comic relief for my own benefit, but I'm excited to know that it doesn't detract from the story._

_kluve – Back again this week! I always love reading what you have to say :-) I see my K-Mart as more protective than possessive, so as long as she sees Claire happy, she's happy, but woe to the person who hurts that redhead! I don't think she will have ANY problems with Claire and Alice being intimate. In fact, I think she secretly fantasizes about them. ;-)_

_Kungfu Kia – Oh I'm definitely still continuing the story. I try to always have it up by Friday :-) Until I reach a stopping point. We're not even half way done here. Thanks for taking the time to review! I'm glad you like the characters!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

Alice had slept longer and more restfully that night than she had in years. She had woken to find the young blonde still curled up at her side, head resting in the older woman's lap. Her first thought was that she needed to get out of the hummer and check the perimeter, but she remained in the back seat gazing at the girl in her lap. K-Mart looked so peaceful in her sleep. All of the fear and confusion that haunted the girl's face in her waking hours vanished during the night. Alice didn't want to disturb the younger girl so she sat, utterly still, wondering when K-Mart would stir.

She heard movements from the front of the hummer and looked up to find Claire's eyes on her in the rear view mirror. Alice gave the redhead a slight smile. Claire turned in her seat and whispered, "I'm going to run the perimeter and start getting camp ready to pack up. Don't let her sleep too late." She winked at the older woman and exited the hummer preparing to break camp.

Alice gently tucked a strand of blonde hair behind K-Mart's ear, tracing the shell of the girl's ear with her fingertips. Her fingers trailed down to the younger girl's jaw and around until she was gently grazing K-Mart's lips.

K-Mart shifted and rolled onto her back, her eyes fluttering open. A moment of confusion passed over her features before she realized it was Alice she had woken up to and not Claire. She smiled up at the older woman. "Morning, Wonderland," she whispered, her voice thick with sleep.

Alice chuckled. "Hi K-Mart." Her voice was soft even though it still held a certain edge to it. Her hand was still cupping the younger girl's face, thumb resting at the corner of her lips.

K-Mart leaned into the touch, turning her head slightly so that Alice's thumb was caressing her lips again. She gently kissed the pad of the older woman's thumb before closing her hand over Alice's to keep her from pulling away. "This was nice to wake up to," she smiled up at Alice and sat up, stretching. "You made my lips all tingly."

Alice grinned. "You just look so peaceful when you sleep. It's like you're a different girl."

K-Mart's eyebrows furrowed. "Do you like me better when I'm asleep?"

Alice smirked. She couldn't help teasing the girl a bit. "Well you are a _lot_ less talkative, so it's easier to absorb how absolutely adorable you are." She pinched the blonde's cheek softly. "Come on, K. Let's go get breakfast."

K-Mart mock-glared at Alice for pinching her cheek, but exited the hummer and started making her way to the deuce so that she and Alice could get their cans of food from Otto.

After they had sat down by the fire, Alice's eyes focused on the can in her hand. She could feel pressure in her head and a mild burning behind her eyes as she watched the lid. Her eyes traced the edge along the top of the can until she could feel the metal shifting. After a few seconds, the lid popped open and she peered inside. "Pears," she told K-Mart, glancing up at the girl.

K-Mart's face was a mixture of awe and mild disbelief. "That is _never_ going to get old. How – I mean, how is it possible? How do you do it?"

The older woman's brows creased. "Um, well I'm not really sure. I have my own theories, but I'm no neurologist. If I could beat it out of someone, that would be more my style." She winked at the young girl who was finishing opening her can.

"So what are your theories?"

"Well – "

"Hey Alice," Claire called from across the camp. "Can you come help me for a second?"

Alice shot K-Mart an apologetic glance. "To be continued." She winked at the younger girl before hurrying over to see what the convoy leader needed.

Claire rounded on her when she heard the older woman approaching. "Hey," the redhead greeted. "I want you and K in the hummer with me. And we have to make sure she stays inside, doors locked. I can't lose her, Alice."

Alice nodded. "I know, Claire. I'll do my best to not let anything happen to her. To either of you." She reached out and placed her hands on the redhead's hips. She could see the reservation on Claire's face as the convoy leader glanced around them nervously. She dropped her hold on Claire and caught her eyes. "We ready to pack up?" She changed the subject.

"Alice look – it's not that – I mean it's not you – "

"_It's not you, it's me_, really Claire?" She shook her head at the younger woman. "Save it. I understand where you're coming from. I don't need to be lectured or let down easily. I'm the former Head of Security for Umbrella. I have a shady past and unexplained abilities. You don't trust me. I don't blame you." She narrowed her eyes at the redhead. The fact that she looked so insanely familiar was still eating away at the back of Alice's mind. "What exactly did _you _do before all of this went down?"

Claire stared into Alice's eyes with a hardened face. "I owned and operated Red's Cycle Shop in Raccoon City."

Alice shook her head. "How old are you Claire?"

The younger woman bristled. "I'm twenty three," she said through clenched teeth.

Alice's eyebrows disappeared under her shaggy bangs. She was clearly impressed with the convoy leader, but the way Claire was reacting to her questions made Alice think that she may be on the path to finding out where she knew the younger woman from. "So you were nineteen at the time of the outbreak. Owning your own mechanic's shop so young, you must have had wealthy parents, or very generous sponsors at least."

Claire narrowed her eyes at the older woman. "I paid for that shop myself thank you _very _much! I saved up everything I made since the time I first started working. It was my dream."

"So what did you do before that then?" Alice knew that she had caught the redhead. Claire's pride at being completely self-sufficient had signed her death warrant, so to speak. Alice fought to hold back the smirk that was tickling her lips. She knew that if she let it show, Claire would storm off and that would be that.

Suddenly the redhead's face altered, becoming almost shy. She was blushing lightly. "I – I danced. I was a dancer."

_Bingo! _Immediately Alice knew from where she had remembered the woman. "At Platinum," she said. It wasn't a question, but the redhead nodded in confirmation. "I knew your face was familiar. Though Claire is definitely more fitting than _Candy._"

Claire closed her eyes in what Alice could only assume was humiliation. The redhead let out a shaky exhale. "It was just me and my two brothers. Our parents, they were killed in a car crash four years before the outbreak. My oldest brother took over as legal guardian, but money was always tight. When Chris left to go to the S.T.A.R.S. Academy, I stayed with our younger brother, Jake. I did what I had to do to keep food on the table." Her face was a hard mask.

Alice's eyes softened, and she instantly lost all desire to smirk. She held the redhead's gaze. "What happened to your brothers?"

Claire's mask shattered and her face filled with pain. "I don't know," she almost sobbed the words before locking down on her emotions again. "Alice, it's not that I don't trust you. It's just, anything that has to do with Umbrella, what they've done, I – I _hate_ them. I don't hate you," she added quickly. "It's just hard to look past the fact that you were aligned with them, even briefly. Even though you turned against them afterward. It's just – hard."

Alice inhaled deeply, calming her nerves. She reached out for the younger woman again, but Claire pulled away nervously. The redhead started to apologize again, but Alice huffed. "I understand Claire. You don't have to worry about upsetting me. I don't have feelings anymore. Just…urges."

A flash of hurt crossed the convoy leader's eyes before she masked it with her usual careful expression. "Okay, well that's…good to know…I guess. Urges can be quenched in various ways. There's always more than one option." Her eyes flickered over to K-Mart still sitting beside the fire.

Alice looked at the young blonde and back to the convoy leader. "What? K-Mart? You can't be serious. She's – "

"A beautiful young woman whose hormones have gotten the best of her. What's wrong with K-Mart? Just the other day you were telling me how I should be giving her a chance and now you're saying you won't give her that same chance?" Claire was defensive. Alice enjoyed seeing the convoy leader all riled up, but she was going to have to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

Alice watched the blood rushing into Claire's face. She could smell its sweet, metallic tang. She could almost _taste_ it. She could hear it pumping through the convoy leader's veins. _What the hell? _She thought to herself. She felt so drawn to Claire's blood at that moment, she had to turn away and take several deep breaths through her mouth. When she was steady again she turned back to Claire.

"It's not like that Claire, and you know it. K-Mart isn't an option because I wouldn't do that to _you._ Whether you choose to act on your attraction to her or not, I'm not going to drive a wedge between you two. I may tease her mercilessly, but that's just because it's fun." She winked at the older woman.

"Alice, I told you. I don't feel that way for K-Mart. I want to protect her. I want to give her the things she needs, and it seems like right now, she needs something I'm not sure I can give her, even when I try. But she won't need that forever, her needs will change, and then where will we be? I don't want to confuse what we have. I love her, but not in the way you seem to think I do."

The older woman narrowed her eyes. "But your dreams, the way you _react_ to her when she gets close, I'm not imagining that, Claire."

Claire looked away. "My body reacts to her need, to her touch. I can't control that. It's been a _long_ time since anyone has looked at me like that, Alice. My body reacts to just about anything at the moment. It confuses me and sometimes I think it means something else. But it – it doesn't. It can't. I can't feel that way about K-Mart. I just can't."

Alice sucked in a deep breath. "It sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself just as much as you're trying to convince me." The redhead started to interrupt her but she continued, putting her hand up to stop the woman from speaking. "Look Claire, I'm not going to pretend to know what's going on inside of your head, but I think you need to work some things out, and I think that you need to work them out thoroughly, because once certain decisions are made, they can't be unmade." She looked pointedly at the younger woman. "Figure it out, and if you truly come to the same end point..." she trailed off not wanting to put a conclusion to the thought. The more ambiguous she was at this point, the more wiggle room she would have later.

Claire sighed, and Alice figured that deep down the woman knew that she was right. "Come on, let's get K-Mart and get packed up."

* * *

The drive to Vegas was uneventful, but Alice noticed how Claire's eyes kept darting to the empty pack of cigarettes in the cup holder. "Got a craving?" She chuckled.

Claire glanced at her in the rear view mirror. "You have _no _idea."

"Maybe I can help with that later." Alice smirked and glanced at K-Mart just in time to see the gentle color on her cheeks at the undertone of their banter.

As Claire pulled up to the edge of the city all three women inhaled audibly.

"What happened to it?" K-Mart asked.

"The desert must've taken it back," the redhead answered. She looked at Alice in the back seat.

"Five years," the older woman whispered. "No one to keep the sand back." She looked around the desolate city, looking for any signs of life, or un-life, but she saw nothing.

"It's empty. No undead. Nothing." Claire's voice was uneasy and it made Alice turn to the convoy leader and place a hand on her shoulder.

"Those birds must have moved through the city block by block. Picked it clean." Alice's voice held a touch of awe as she considered the fact that they may actually make it out of this with minimal casualties.

"Claire, this is Chase." The radio broke the woman from her daze and Alice watched as Claire clicked the button to reply.

"Yeah?" Short and to the point. Alice really liked that about the convoy leader. Claire didn't see the point of needlessly drawing things out when they could be handled with a few words. The older woman could relate.

"LJ says the valet parking at the casino is where the gas is gonna be at. Let's pull on up," the cowboy drawled.

"Got it. Out." She sat the radio back in the cup holder. Claire pulled the hummer around to the other side of the casino. Alice was barely able to make out the signs for valet parking.

"Great," the convoy leader sighed.

Alice followed Claire's gaze to the large container express box blocking their way. Her blood was boiling. Something wasn't right. "Stop the truck," she whispered in Claire's ear.

Claire did as she was told and Alice climbed out of the back seat. She could vaguely hear others getting out of their vehicles as she walked toward the conex box. She could smell the infected, but they smelled _different_. Something besides the T-Virus was tainting their blood. Her blood became even more excited the closer she got to the box. Her heart pounded, her pulse was throbbing in her ears. Her skin was tingling from the virus moving quickly through her veins. She could hear the others discussing hooking up the wench to move the box as she inched closer.

She held her ear up to the door of the conex box and listened carefully. All was quiet for a moment, then, as if on cue, she heard low groans coming from inside the box. "Get back! It's filled with infected," she called, backing up quickly while pulling out her shotgun and putting a shell in the chamber.

"Chase!" she heard Claire shout. "Get on the tanker; pick them off." Claire pulled out her Glocks and aimed them at the conex box.

As if someone had been waiting on them, the door of the conex box dropped open leaving a dark, empty hole. Alice waited patiently for about ten seconds before infected were pouring out of the door. They were _running_. They were actively _chasing_ people like they had reasoning skills. Alice even noticed a few trying to open the doors of the vehicles where the children were supposedly safe from reach.

Alice fired off shots rapidly bringing down body after infected body. Plague-ridden blood was splattering on the ground all around her. Her blood was thrumming, almost _purring_. Once she had unloaded both of her shotguns, she tossed them to the ground and pulled out her kukris. She began slicing necks at random until she heard a soft cry behind her. She knew that voice. _K-Mart!_ Why had the girl left the hummer? She turned and spotted K-Mart running from three of the infected. She took the head off of the one closest to her and sprinted after the young blonde. She was almost in reach when out of nowhere she saw Claire put a bullet into two of the infected. Straight into the brain. Alice sighed in relief until she saw the convoy leader get grabbed from behind.

Without a thought, she flung her kukri at the infected woman clinging to Claire. The blade lodged itself into the skull and pushed its way into the soft brain tissue. She watched the body drop to the ground and the convoy leader rounded on her. Claire's eyes were wide with shock, but she shot a grateful look in Alice's direction before firing two more shots taking out a couple of infected behind Alice.

Alice ran toward the redhead dislodging her kukri from the head of her latest kill and quickly finding K-Mart again. She was still running from the lone infected, headed in the direction of the hummer, but she wasn't going to make it. The two were too far to shoot with any precision and she knew Claire wouldn't risk hitting K-Mart.

"Alice, please?" The redhead begged. Alice's eyes burned and her focus pinpointed on the back of the creature chasing K-Mart. Suddenly the body flew backward and away from the younger woman. Alice then used her telekinesis to open the door of the hummer for the blonde. Alice watched as K-Mart got inside and with a last mental effort she pushed the locks down. Her eyes caught K-Mart's through the windshield and she glared at the younger girl. The look could only be taken in one way, as an indisputable command to stay inside of the vehicle.

Alice took out two more undead, severing their heads from their bodies. She watched as Chase took out one body after another from the top of the tanker. She noticed one infected climbing stealthily up the ladder toward the cowboy. She grabbed it by the tattered shirt and yanked it down to the ground, crushing its skull beneath her boot. She saw two young men taken down by a group of infected. It was too late to save them, but she sliced into skull after skull taking out the creatures and avenging the boys' deaths.

She heard screams coming from above her and looked around to see a young girl being chased by two infected up a narrow stairway. She ran after them, easily catching them and slicing into their spines, severing them entirely. The girl continued to run and Alice watched as she took off toward the convoy vehicles to find safety. Alice started to follow and realized that she couldn't move her feet. She tried to look down to see what was holding her but she had no control over her eyes, or any of her body for that fact. She knew this feeling. _Oh God, no! Please! _This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not _here_. Those satellites weren't supposed to be anywhere near her. They must have been rerouted.

She could hear the sound of screaming around her, but she couldn't provide help. She silently willed her feet to move. Her eyes to blink. Her voice to scream. Nothing. She continued to fight against Umbrella's control over her, but she felt her consciousness slipping away. She could see the dark closing in around the edges of her vision. She could feel a bead of sweat trickling down the side of her face. She heard Claire screaming, an agonizing sound of pain and anger. Alice knew that scream intimately. She had heard it leaving her own lips before. Someone the redhead cared for had just been killed. _No!_ She would _not_ let Umbrella win this time. Her eyes burned and her vision clouded. She shifted all of her focus to fighting against the control. She was so close to something very important. She could feel it. The satellite. The heat in her eyes swelled to an almost painful temperature and she focused that heat on the control panel of the satellite. She fried it, and she felt Umbrella's hold on her start to fade, but it wasn't enough. She had to make sure they could never control her again. She forced her focus onto the chip inside of her head next. It took almost all of her mental energy to disable it, but once she did, she felt her surroundings again.

As suddenly as it had come, she felt Umbrella's control leave her mind. She took off toward the rest of the convoy and destroyed the remaining infected. She was physically and mentally exhausted, almost to the point of blacking out, but she ran up the stairwell to the roof of the casino. She walked calmly toward the white tent before pushing aside the curtain and slaughtering everyone in the control center. The fatigue was slowly giving way to the blood lust now. She vaguely noticed Dr. Isaacs slipping out the back and running toward a helicopter. She turned to him and watched as a single infected caught him from behind and bit into his shoulder. _Justice, _she thought ruefully. She pulled her .45s, took aim at the helicopter as it was flying away, and was about to send it to the ground when she got a better idea. Instead she put a bullet in the last infected. Her blood was boiling.

She sensed someone approaching and rounded on them guns pointed. It was K-Mart. The young girl winced at the barrel of Alice's gun. "Why didn't you shoot?" she asked.

Alice took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. She needed to get away from K-Mart before the blood lust took over. "Because we're not driving to Alaska. Not while that helo is still intact. I'm going to look at the computers to see where it's going." K-Mart followed her into the tent and Alice heard the girl's sharp intake of breath. She turned toward the girl. "You can wait outside if it bothers you. I'll only be a second."

K-Mart shook her head and followed her to the computer. "I'm okay. It's just – they're – I mean, they're human."

Alice understood the younger girl's reasoning. Killing infected soulless monsters was one thing, but this was murder. Alice had _murdered_ these people in cold blood, and if she didn't get away soon, there would be more bloodshed. "They're Umbrella operatives. They placed that container of infected there on purpose. For us. For me." She was holding her breath now because the scent of K-Mart's blood was overwhelming; it almost smelled like the girl's blood was _outside_ of her skin.

The shock was evident on K-Mart's face. "But why, Alice? Why would they send them after you? Why do they want you dead? How do they even know about you?"

She let out the breath and slowly inhaled through her mouth. "They know I'm going to bring them down." The answer was short and simple and it was the only one that she was willing to offer the girl. She pulled up the location of the Umbrella facility that the helo was headed to and copied the coordinates onto a slip of paper. "Bingo. Let's go."

When she exited the tent she almost ran smack into Claire. "What the _fuck_ is going on here Alice?" The convoy leader was furious.

"I'll explain it all. I promise. But right now I have to take care of something." She jogged away from the two women and toward the roof's exit opposite of the one they had used to enter. She made it down two flights before her blood lust overwhelmed her. She ripped open her button and zipper and pushed her shorts down her thighs. Sinking to her knees, her fingers found her center and began to rub. She had no time for fantasies. There were still _plenty_ of things to kill around here, but they were all human.

She sensed the convoy leader's presence before Claire rounded the second flight of stairs. These women were going to get themselves into serious trouble one day if they kept following her.

* * *

_A/N: Awww, everybody loves K-Mart! Who can NOT love that girl, she's a little hottie. But seriously, can you wait for the next chapter? I don't even know if I can wait to write it. It's right there, on the tip of my tongue, figuratively of course. As always, I love to hear your thoughts and comments!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Review Responses:_

_OnyxTemplar – Oooh, I love to torture you guys. I may be slightly sadistic. Really it's because this week is another double chapter week and I feel like I should try to have you guys all anxiously waiting on the edge of your seats for Friday to come! Just another reason to look forward to the weekend. ;-)_

_kluve – Sometimes my characters take on a mind of their own and I just have to let them go where they will. Honestly, I think she's just confused. She's sexually attracted to Alice and we all know she's sexually attracted to K-Mart even if she won't admit it. I think she may be slightly turned on by the thought of the two together because she's still dead set that she could never sleep with either of them, so…next best thing? Also, she's still pretty hung up on the fact that her subconscious wants to ravage a seventeen-year-old girl. In my opinion :-) _

_As for Alice, once that blood lust hits, anyone in the room is fair game. Plus, the Project totally has a thing for K-Mart (or at least her blood). I'm guessing she's going to take it up a notch with Claire's blessing. Thanks again for reviewing!_

_PrincessLia – Claire is just way too confused to be making suggestions to anyone. LoL But yes, I agree, "let's follow a super powered, woman on the verge of a melt down" doesn't seem like the wisest decision, but hey, Claire likes to live on the edge. I'm glad you love K; she's my favorite character to write at the moment :-) As always, thank you for reviewing!_

_DalekSec-kmz – Because of your peer pressure, I'm posting two chapters this week. There will be another one up tomorrow or Friday, Enabler ;-)_

_Kungfu Kia – Thanks for the review! I can't have anyone dying on me, so I guess I'll keep updating ;-)_

_mickelus – I'm glad you decided to stop over in the RE world as well. I really enjoy writing Claire/K-Mart because I see their relationship as a bit more believable, but when my brain starts thinking about Claire and Alice together…things just happen. LoL Thank you for reading and reviewing! Hopefully I will keep you coming back each week :-)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Claire's POV

"Go find Carlos," she told K-Mart quietly. "I need to talk to Alice."

The blonde nodded and turned to leave before turning back. "It's not her fault, Claire. Anymore than it's yours or mine. No one could've stopped this." She shook her head sadly and finally walked toward the door leading to the stairs that exited the roof.

Claire took off in the direction Alice had gone. It led her to another door on the opposite side of the building. Cautiously, she pulled the door open. More stairs. She silently descended the first flight, drawing her gun as more and more of the light faded away. She could hear slight movement and prepared herself for a fight, but when she rounded the corner she was completely shell-shocked.

Alice was at the bottom of the second flight of stairs, on her knees, with her shorts halfway down her thighs and her hand moving slowly between her legs. Claire gasped and the older woman's eyes snapped up and locked with her own. The look on Alice's face was priceless. A mixture of confusion and strong, _very_ strong desire. Claire had expected Alice to hide herself, for them to pass the awkward moment and pretend that nothing had happened, but Alice's hand didn't stop moving.

The redhead's eyes were drawn downward like a magnet was pulling her gaze. She settled on the blonde's fingers, taking note of how Alice was manipulating herself, quick, tight circles followed by long, broad strokes. Finally she dragged her eyes back up to meet the older woman's stare. Alice's eyes, it seemed, had never left her own.

"You people have _got_ to stop following me." It didn't make a lot of sense, but it was all that the blonde said. Her voice, on the surface, appeared calm and even, but Claire could sense the strain that was just underneath. Alice was struggling with something, and it wasn't just the fact that the redhead had caught her in a private act. Hell, it wasn't even the fact that Claire was _still_ watching her.

She shook herself out of her daze and quickly turned away. "God, Alice. I'm so – I'm so sorry. I thought – I – well I thought you – I was coming to help."

Alice laughed, the sound dark and throaty. "You can't help, Claire. If you come any closer I won't be able to control myself. It's – it's the virus. It takes control of me during a fight. It doesn't like to relinquish that hold very easily."

Claire was trying to listen to Alice, she really was, something about a virus or a remote control – possibly an elephant in tap shoes? The fact that the older woman was trying to have a serious conversation about an even more serious topic, while her hand was still moving furiously between her own legs, was overwhelming, and if she thought about it, utterly ridiculous. _Virus. Control. Think straight! _She filed the information away for later. She would have to ask Alice to explain. She holstered her gun and turned back to the woman.

_Virus. _"So you – what?"_ Control. "_Make it submit?" It wasn't the most eloquent way of stating things, she knew, but her brain wasn't working at top performance at the moment.

Alice laughed again. "I wouldn't put it that way, exactly. There is really no _making_ it submit. I try to focus on other things, less violent things." She eyed Claire as the redhead inched toward her. "Not very many things _distract_ me, if you know what I mean."

"Well, is it – is it working? What happens if it doesn't work?" The younger woman was almost positive she wasn't going to like the answer. Still, she steadily edged closer to Alice.

"Claire," Alice warned, making the convoy leader pause a moment before continuing down another step. "I don't know what would happen. I've never allowed it to take over. I assume I would just keep killing things until…" she left the sentence unfinished. "And it's – well this doesn't work as well as it used to. I don't know. It's hard to distract myself."

Claire took a few more steps toward the older woman until they were on the same level. She had been undecided in her course of action until Alice had answered her, but now she knew what she had to do – anything to protect her convoy, to protect K-Mart.

"Well, I guess we need to make sure that you're good and distracted then, huh?" She closed the distance between them and dropped to her knees in front of Alice. She tangled her fingers in the older woman's hair, crashing their lips together in a surprisingly passionate kiss. She knew that Alice would respond.

Alice's mouth _attacked_ her own, their tongues clashing against each other in a spar that would have made a Kendo master jealous. The blonde's free hand wrapped around Claire's waist and pulled the younger woman into her rock hard body.

Claire had no time to react. Alice tore her hand away from her own center and was standing up, dragging the redhead with her. Alice yanked her shorts back up and pushed the redhead backward. Claire felt her back hit the wall _hard._ Her shoulder blades were digging into the bricks behind her as Alice pressed her even more forcefully into the wall, shoving a thigh in between Claire's legs.

The older woman's hands trailed down the redhead's sides and gripped her hips tightly, pulling the convoy leader onto her well-muscled thigh. Claire's toes were just barely touching the ground and she was distracted for a brief moment at how Alice could hold her weight so effortlessly. She realized that it was most likely the same thing that had caused Alice's other _quirks. _She had meant to ask the older woman about her abilities. _Virus_. But she'd kept putting it off because it felt too much like prying into her life. _Control. _She couldn't think about the topic for long before Alice's hands were on her hips again, pushing and pulling Claire's center over her thigh.

Claire moaned, and with what little purchase she could find on the ground, she began to ride Alice's thigh slowly. For a moment, Claire got the strongest sense of déjà vu, but the seam of her own jeans was rubbing against her clit as she slid back and forth on the older woman's leg, and she quickly lost her train of thought. She hadn't had so much contact in _years._ She was steadily losing her control. _Control. _She let out a shaky breath and Alice seemed to sense she was already close.

The blonde's hands forced Claire's hips to grind against her thigh even harder and faster. The redhead could feel her orgasm building up in the pit of her stomach. Pleasure flowed outward, crashing through her blood. The edges of her vision began to blur and she was so light-headed that she thought she might pass out. She dug her nails into Alice's shoulder as she came. Alice's lips caught her own and swallowed her cries greedily. The older woman continued to push and pull on the redhead's hips drawing her orgasm out as long as possible.

Claire's body shuddered and she let out a long, shaky breath. Alice finally stopped grinding her thigh into the younger woman and allowed Claire to catch her breath. Threading her fingers through red hair, she pulled the convoy leader into a deep, languid kiss. Alice gently nipped at Claire's bottom lip and the redhead's need instantly soared again.

Claire began to subtly move her center against Alice's thigh. Then, the pressure between her legs vanished abruptly, hands were on her hips and Alice was spinning her around and slamming her face first into the wall.

For just a moment, Claire was terrified that Alice was actually going to hurt her, possibly more. The woman had just admitted that she didn't know what she would do if she lost control. _Control. _Claire was scared. That was until Alice's arms wrapped around her waist and began unbuckling her belt. The redhead made a conscious effort not to grind her hips backward into the other woman, but she couldn't stifle the groan that escaped as Alice's slender fingers forced their way into her pants.

"Guess you like it rough huh?" Alice purred. Claire could _hear_ the smirk in the woman's voice. "God you're so wet you could quench Tantalus's thirst right now." The redhead had no clue what Alice was talking about, but she didn't have the focus to ask. Her hips jerked back, grinding her ass into the older woman's center. Alice moaned. The sound was like an aphrodisiac to Claire and she began to move her hips in a continuous motion. She braced her hands on the wall in front of her giving herself better leverage.

Alice's free hand covered Claire's on the wall, holding the redhead in place. Claire could feel the older woman's hips moving in rhythm with her own. The blonde's fingers were making those same tight circles around Claire's clit and she couldn't help but let her head fall back against Alice's shoulder. For a second, Claire felt the older woman's body stiffen and she wondered if Alice had sensed trouble, but after a brief look behind them, Alice continued moving as though it were nothing, so Claire relaxed once again.

Alice was still working her clit expertly. Claire could feel another orgasm burning inside of her. The older woman appeared to sense it too because she spun them around until Claire was facing outward. With her free hand, Alice started to push Claire's cargo pants and underwear down around her thighs. If she hadn't been completely unfocused with sexual need at the moment, the redhead may have been embarrassed by her current position, but it was the last thing on Claire's mind.

Alice's teeth clamped onto Claire's ear and her tongue darted out to trace the shell upward before nipping at the sensitive spot.

A deep moan tore its way from the redhead's throat as the older woman's fingernails dug into the skin of her thighs and dragged upward toward her ass. Alice's palm flattened against the curve of Claire's ass and she slipped her fingertips slightly into the crevice, softly trailing them along until they slid into wet heat.

"Fuck," Claire gasped and pushed back against Alice's body. She felt the fingers toying with her entrance and desperately needed them inside of her, but each time she pushed back and down, Alice pulled away until just the tips of her fingers were sliding in and out. It was maddening. Claire groaned loudly in frustration. She reached behind her and sought out Alice's heated center. She rubbed the woman furiously through her shorts.

All the while Alice had never stopped her not-so-gentle assault on the redhead's clit.

"Claire," Alice's breath was hot in her ear. "This time I think we may have _really_ broken K-Mart."

Claire _heard_ what Alice had said. The words. They were in logical order, and made sense grammatically, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out the meaning behind the blonde's words. She shook her head back and forth and managed to murmur, "Wha?"

Alice's husky chuckle renewed her distraction and sent a shock straight to her core. She shuddered, still trying to wrap her mind around what Alice was trying to tell her.

"Look up, Claire."

Her eyes drifted upward until they locked with wide, brown eyes at the top of the stairs. Claire's body went rigid. "K-Mart?" Alice thrust her fingers deep inside of the redhead, pumping them at an alarming pace. "Oh. God. K-Mart's – there." It came out as more of a moan than anything and Claire could see the girl's eyes glaze over with lust.

Alice's hand moved from her clit and traveled up her stomach, taking her shirt with it. Claire could feel the fabric of her own shirt tickling her lips and vaguely heard Alice whisper, "Open up." Without even a second thought, she opened her mouth and let the older woman push the fabric inside. Next Alice was pushing her bra up until her breasts were exposed and the older woman's now free hand was gripping, massaging, and teasing her nipples to stiff points. Claire's hand was still moving between Alice's thighs and she barely registered the older woman's hips thrusting forward to meet her fingers.

Claire could feel all of the things that were happening to her body, but her eyes had never left K-Mart's. She wanted to tell Alice to wait. To stop. She wanted to tell K-Mart to leave or look away. But in the end, she had no control of her body and she just kept clenching her teeth around the fabric in her mouth and her hips just kept grinding backward into the woman behind her.

She was finally able to tear her eyes away from K-Mart's when she caught the girl's hand moving subtly between her own thighs. Claire's brain went into overdrive and she moaned loudly.

As if Alice had felt exactly when Claire had made the connection, she drove her fingers deeply inside of the redhead, curling them and hitting a spot that made Claire's knees weak. Alice's hand left her breast, pulling the redhead's shirt off entirely before wrapping her arm around Claire's waist, holding her steady.

"Oh. God." Claire's eyes snapped back to K-Mart's and locked on as her orgasm tore through her body. She could feel Alice's teeth clamp onto the juncture of her shoulder and neck, sharp points of her canines digging in, breaking through the skin. She could vaguely feel warm wetness trickling down between her shoulder blades and the older woman's body was shuddering against her. Alice was climaxing.

After a few moments, she felt Alice moving behind her before something was toying at her lips. She inhaled the strong scent of tobacco and shivered. She took the cigarette between her lips and waited as the older woman lit the end. Taking a deep drag, she shivered. The feeling of smoke curling deep inside of her lungs was almost as good as the pleasure Alice had just given her.

Alice's fingers were still buried deep inside of her. At this point, Claire's body was so sensitive, when the older woman leaned down to catch the trail of blood and drag her tongue upward, the gentle shift of her fingers inside of Claire drove the redhead to another shuddering orgasm.

Claire's knees gave out, and though she was certain that Alice could have held her upright, the older woman lowered her to the ground, following her until they were both kneeling. Alice was softly lapping and sucking at the bite on Claire's shoulder, coaxing as much blood as she could from the superficial wound.

The feeling was completely erotic. Claire couldn't understand exactly what about it was giving her so much pleasure, but the feeling of Alice gently suckling at her shoulder made the redhead wish that the older woman would sink her teeth in again. Instead, Alice slid her fingers out of Claire, leaving the convoy leader with an empty feeling. Her body shuddered as Alice's wet fingers slid from her and glided along between the cheeks of her ass. She gave one last violent spasm as Alice's fingers grazed over of another _extremely_ sensitive spot before wrapping around her waist and holding her tightly.

Claire slumped back against the older woman's body. "Think we distracted it enough to get back to the convoy?" she mumbled, the cigarette bobbing up and down in between her lips.

Alice chuckled. "We'll have to mop up K-Mart first, but yeah. I think you are a _perfect_ distraction." Claire could feel the blonde grinning against her neck.

Alice helped her stand and get her pants fastened. As Claire fumbled with her belt, she felt the older woman take the cigarette from her lips before her fingers tangled in Claire's hair. The kiss was slow and lazy and the redhead almost forgot that her young companion was watching her intently.

Alice passed the cigarette back to Claire, exhaling the thick smoke, and the two women started up the stairs toward K-Mart. The blonde stumbled backward to lean against the wall. Alice clasped a hand on K-Mart's shoulder. "Come on, K. Let's get back to the others."

K-Mart's face was incredulous. "I can't go back there like _this!_" she cried. "I can barely even walk without something _rubbing _against me." She took a step forward and as if to prove her point she moaned and her eyes fluttered closed.

Claire looked at the blonde pointedly. "Maybe you'll think about that the next time you sneak in for a peep show," she chided. She wasn't angry with K-Mart, but she felt a bit strange, knowing that the girl had watched her climax under the older woman's ministrations. K-Mart didn't _look_ upset, maybe Alice was right.

Alice grabbed K-Mart by the arms and tossed the younger girl onto her back, _piggyback _style. "Oh. God." K-Mart sucked in a sharp breath. Claire saw Alice roll her eyes as she started to walk down the rest of the stairs leading back to the convoy.

* * *

"How many did we lose?" the convoy leader asked Carlos. The dark-haired man studied her face before answering.

"Seven, but Claire," he paused rolling a body over with his boot. "LJ didn't just get bitten. He turned halfway through the fight Claire. I'm guessing he got bitten when we were near Reno. No telling how many days he's been infected." He looked deeply into the redhead's eyes. "We're going to have to come up with some system for telling who's been infected. It looks like the honor system is a no go."

Claire shook her head sadly, looking at her friend's lifeless body. She could see the bullet hole in his forehead from _her _gun. "Oh, LJ. Why?" She turned toward the city and stared off into the distance, her face becoming a hard mask. "Did he hurt anyone before I –?"

Carlos shook his head. "You got him before he could bite Mikey, but it was close Claire."

Her eyes drilled into the older man. "Grab Betty and meet me at the ambulance in five. We'll work something out together."

* * *

_A/N: Finally right?! I know you guys have been patient with me, and I hope I've satisfied your cravings for now. There will definitely be more Alice/Claire goodness in the future. Also, I get to start bringing in new characters soon! Anyone you guys want to see in particular? Let me know!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Review responses:_

_OnyxTemplar – I'm definitely happy to have put a smile on your face. Things are surely about to heat up a bit. Though I still have a few action scenes to throw in, I mean ::technically:: it is supposed to be about zombies. ;-) Thanks so much for the review!_

_mickelus – K-Mart's statement of war was in reference to Claire, not Alice. She's in war with Claire because the redhead gets her all worked up and leaves her to fend for herself. That's what K-Mart is trying to do to Claire now, trying to get her worked up enough that she just loses her cool and ravages the girl, backfired on her in that Claire actually went to Alice, but I think K is alright with that outcome. She loves Claire, but she doesn't know if she's _in_ love with Claire, she just wants to see her happy. However, she still wants Claire to be her first, because the redhead is the only one she trusts and looks up to. :-) Hope that clears a few things up for you. _

_Haha, and here I thought you had taken a break from Buffy ;-) I've never thought about doing a crossover before. Maybe it's time for one. I can totally see Faith rocking K-Mart's little world, or even Alice putting the brunette in her rightful place. Thanks for the review!_

_PrincessLia – Hahah, I guessed it was you from your smilies ;-) Yeah, if I had a Claire, Alice, or K-Mart distraction I would forget to eat actual food and most likely starve to death so, probably for the best that it's all in my head ;-) Primal Alice gets me all hot and bothered and Claire's character in the games and in the movies really made me think she would definitely be a "rough sex" kind of gal, LoL so I went with it. Poor K, right? Don't worry, she's going to get taken care of soonish, I promise. Maybe not at soon as if say you were in the room, but soon-ish. I'll see what I can do for your Rain addiction. If I can't make her fit here, maybe I'll write you a one-shot :-)_

_jackjack09 – I have a few ideas toying around in my head that may strike your fancy ;-) Thanks for the review!_

_Kungfu Kia – Thank you so much! That means a lot to hear :-) I try very hard to heat up the sex scenes enough to get my readers' blood boiling. It's good to know that I am somewhat managing that!_

_kluve – Well Claire is definitely a team player! It may be a dirty job, but someone has to do it after all ;-) Chris will definitely be making an appearance. I think I've decided to stop this fic in a few more chapters and start a sequel though. I know when certain readers see a fic that's over 20 chapters they don't even take the time to look at it. Haven't decided yet. Thanks for the review, as always!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

K-Mart's POV

K-Mart made it down the first flight of stairs before she turned back around to follow Claire. She had seen the wild look in Alice's eyes before the woman had run off, and she didn't believe Claire knew what she was getting into. Plus, she didn't want Claire to blame Alice for what had happened, even though it was very clear that Umbrella had staged the whole incident.

She opened the door and moved silently like Claire had taught her. Mentally patting herself on the back, she knew that she wasn't going to be heard this time. She could hear the two women below her as she moved toward the rail to have a look. _Who sounds like a Clydesdale_ now? she thought.

What she saw when she peeked over the railing astonished her. Alice had Claire pinned face first to the wall. At first, K-Mart thought that the two were fighting, but then she heard Alice's low, throaty growl. "Guess you like it rough huh?"

K-Mart's stomach dropped. It was the same feeling she had gotten years ago when she had ridden the roller coasters for the first time at Six Flags. Her eyes took in the details. Yes, Claire was pinned to the wall. Yes, Alice was holding her there not letting her free. But Claire's hips were steadily grinding back into Alice and the older woman's hips were meeting the redhead's at every thrust. Alice's left arm disappeared around the front Claire's body and her muscles were flexing continuously in effort. "God you're so wet you could quench Tantalus's thirst right now."

K-Mart's eyes went even wider. She remembered reading about Tantalus in her English class. He was the half-god who was cursed with an unquenchable thirst. She felt the first telltale sign of moisture trickle from her as her center started to throb. She watched Alice's right hand cover the one that Claire was using to brace herself against the wall and the muscles in her left shoulder strained against her skin with added exertion. K-Mart heard Claire whimpering and couldn't help the small gasp at the spark that the sound had sent straight down her spine, right to her center.

She saw Alice's body tense and her hands flew up to cover her mouth to keep any other sounds from escaping. Alice angled her head toward K-Mart and her eyes locked with the younger woman's. K-Mart froze. Caught! She was caught! But Alice wasn't stopping. In fact, the older woman was grinning at her, a feral look in her eyes as her hand moved even faster against the convoy leader.

Alice turned back toward the redhead and quickly traded positions spinning them around until Claire was facing K-Mart. The older woman tugged Claire's pants down around her thighs, kicking her feet apart until Claire's legs were straining against the fabric of the cargo pants.

K-Mart could see Alice's hand moving furiously between Claire's thighs now. She could she the soft blondish-red curls that covered Claire's sex, every time Alice's fingers circled. Alice's hand blocked most of her view, but she couldn't pull her eyes away from the scene before her. Those had almost been her fingers not too long ago. She knew that she shouldn't be watching, that she should give the women their privacy, but Alice had _seen_ her and just continued on. She had even smiled at K-Mart. Was she okay with K-Mart watching them? Even if Alice was, the young blonde knew that Claire would most likely _not_ share Alice's open-minded attitude. Especially since the redhead was the one on display.

K-Mart felt a little guilty. Like she was spying on an authority figure. At the same time she just felt so flushed. S_he_ wanted to be the one who was behind Claire at that moment. But she also wanted to _be _Claire at that moment, to feel Alice's rough hands between her thighs. It was so confusing.

The blonde watched as Alice's tongue darted into Claire's ear. She heard the redhead's low moan and swear, and watched Alice's back hit the wall. K-Mart knew that Claire's strong legs had pushed them backward. Alice didn't even miss a beat; her hand continued moving between Claire's legs as her other arm reached around the convoy leader. The older woman switched hands, bringing her left arm back behind the redhead.

K-Mart bit down hard on her lip to keep the moan from escaping. She knew what Alice had in store for Claire and could picture what the older woman's hand was doing behind the redhead. Claire groaned loudly, and K-Mart bit down even harder. Her own hand had managed to find its way between her legs and was gently rubbing along the seam of her pants. _Of all the days to not wear a skirt, _she silently scolded herself.

She was lost in that thought when she heard Alice's low voice. "Claire, I think we may have _really_ broken K-Mart this time." K-Mart froze again. Her eyes snapped up to Claire's face, which was a mask of confusion, then to Alice, who was wearing a sly smile.

"Wha?" she heard the redhead's confusion, followed by Alice's throaty laughter.

"Look up, Claire."

Claire's eyes locked on her own. K-Mart's body went weak. Claire's eyes were round with disbelief. "K-Mart?" the redhead questioned. "Oh. God." The last part was more of a gasp and K-Mart could only imagine that Alice had thrust her fingers into Claire deeply to elicit that reaction. "K-Mart's – there." Claire had _moaned_ her name this time and the sound had sent a shiver through her entire body.

The younger girl's vision blurred as she pressed her fingers harder against herself. She watched as Alice pushed up Claire's shirt and bra, further exposing the convoy leader to the young blonde. She felt herself getting even wetter as she watched Claire willingly open her mouth to receive the fabric Alice was shoving between her lips. Claire was being _submissive, _and that knowledge alone could have sent K-Mart into a frenzy.

K-Mart watched as Alice tugged and teased Claire's nipples, then her eyes found the convoy leader's once more. Claire's eyes were still drilling into her own. The redhead held her gaze for a moment longer before flittering down to where the younger girl's hand was. K-Mart knew that she should stop her fingers, but the look on Claire's face just made her want to touch herself even more.

Claire moaned loudly and her eyes snapped back up to K-Mart's as her face contorted in pleasure. Her body shuddered violently.

Alice pulled Claire's shirt off completely and K-Mart watched as the older woman's teeth clamped onto the redhead's shoulder. "Oh. God." K-Mart could hear the rawness in the redhead's voice. K-Mart stared, eyes wide, as Alice reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. The younger girl couldn't help the grin on her face. Claire had been dying for a smoke for the last couple of weeks. Alice put the cigarette in between Claire's lips, lighting the end. Claire inhaled deeply, eyes fluttering closed.

K-Mart saw Alice's face disappear behind Claire's back and the convoy leader shuddered and moaned again with renewed pleasure. It was beautiful.

Alice continued to mouth at Claire's shoulder as she lowered them both into a kneeling position. K-Mart was finally able to drag her hand away from herself, but the heat between her legs was out of control. She heard the women's mumbled conversation below her, but couldn't make out what was being said. Alice's throaty laughter filled her ears again though, and she assumed that Claire wasn't going to kill her at least.

She watched the women walking toward her and she stumbled backward. The look on Claire's face was unreadable. She looked almost wary of K-Mart, like she was expecting the girl to explode in her face. K-Mart stumbled again, her pants rubbing against her center every step of the way. She groaned as her back hit the wall. Alice's hand was on her shoulder. "Come on, K. Let's get back to the others."

K-Mart stared at the older woman with wide eyes. "I can't go back there like _this!_" she cried. "I can barely even walk without something _rubbing _against me." She took a step forward and moaned. It was delicious. And painful. And _needy._

"Maybe you'll think about that the next time you sneak in for a peep show," Claire softly scolded. Something about the way the woman was looking at her was a bit unnerving, but K-Mart could tell that Claire wasn't truly angry with her. The realization surprised her a bit.

Next thing she knew she was being tossed onto Alice's back. Her legs automatically wrapped around the older woman, pushing her center against Alice's back. "Oh. God." K-Mart breathed in deeply trying to clear her thoughts. Alice continued down the stairs headed toward the exit. Every step made K-Mart's hot, wet center rub against the older woman. It was torture and she buried her face in Alice's neck, biting the skin gently to keep from moaning. She felt the older woman's hands squeeze her thighs in reassurance.

* * *

When they exited the building it was easy for K-Mart to forget her desire. Alice set her down and she looked around at the aftermath of the fight. Bodies littered the street, and while most of them were infected creatures, there were a few that had been her friends. Claire walked toward Carlos and the two fell into conversation. K-Mart watched as Carlos turned a body over with his boot. "LJ," she whispered, catching Alice's attention.

The older woman looked at the body. "Oh LJ..."

"You knew him?" Alice's grief-stricken voice had caught K-Mart off guard.

Alice nodded. "I did. He was with Carlos and me in Raccoon City."

Realization dawned on the young blonde's face. "You were the mysterious savior that Angie always talked about. She never said a name…" she trailed off.

Alice rounded on her, eyes burning. "Angie was here? Angie was with you? Where did she go? What happened?" Her questions were rapid and her voice was demanding.

K-Mart shook her head, slightly rattled by Alice's reaction. "I don't know." She reached out and gently touched Alice's cool arm. "Angie was getting really sick and Jill wanted to take her to an Umbrella facility, but she wouldn't tell Claire why. Claire – she didn't want to risk it. She thought that they would use Angie for experiments or something. One morning we woke up and they were gone." K-Mart shook her head sadly. Memories of Angie were painful because she thought that she might have had feelings for the other girl. Or maybe she still had feelings for her. Lately her emotions for Claire were confusing her, and now with Alice... "That was months ago. We haven't seen them since."

Alice was rubbing her eyes as if she had a headache. "They're still alive, K. I promise."

K-Mart took the older woman's hand and led her toward the hummer. "How can you know for sure?" She wanted to believe Alice. She desperately wanted it to be true, but there were no guarantees.

Alice inhaled deeply, crawling into the back seat of the hummer, pulling the younger girl in with her. "I can't explain it. I can sense them. I can sense their life forces. Both of them."

K-Mart smiled. She hoped Alice was right. She watched as Alice squinted her eyes again, before pulling the older woman back against her. The young blonde took Alice's head in her hands and her fingers began to rub gentle circles around the woman's temples. Alice moaned.

"God, K." She relaxed against the younger woman's chest. "Can I keep you?"

K-Mart giggled. "Of course." She paused, considering whether the question would be too personal. "It happens when you use your powers doesn't it?" She asked the older woman quietly.

"Yes," Alice responded. "Usually it's just a headache, if it's something mild. If it's something big then – "

"You pass out for a day and a half," K-Mart finished for her. She continued her massage on Alice's temples before moving downward and working on the older woman's tense neck and shoulders. Her strong hands were using just the right amount of pressure to be pleasurable but still work the knots away. "You're so tense. You should really learn to let loose more often."

Alice chuckled. "I thought that's what I just did."

K-Mart could feel her cheeks get hot as images of what she had just witnessed resurfaced in her mind.

"Sorry, K. I didn't mean to get you all bothered again."

"It's okay," K-Mart exhaled. "I'm fine." Her hands halted their assault on Alice's muscles.

"What is it, K?"

"Why?" She paused to collect her thoughts. "Why didn't you stop? I mean – why did you keep going when you knew I was there? Why did you let me watch you with Claire?" She could feel the older woman's body shuddering with silent laughter. "What?"

"Oh, K." Alice smiled. "I let you watch because I like getting you all worked up."

K-Mart exhaled slowly. "But why?"

Alice turned in the younger girl's arms until her lips were soft against K-Mart's ear and her hip was pressed against the blonde's hot center. "I like the way you smell when you're excited, K-Mart," she whispered huskily.

Chills ran down K-Mart's spine and she instantly felt the renewed wetness between her legs. She went to squeeze her thighs together and forgot that Alice was between them. She ended up tightening her legs around the woman.

The older woman grinned against K-Mart's ear as she inhaled deeply. "That a girl."

K-Mart's cheeks burned again and she pressed her face into Alice's neck. Her lips brushed against the older woman's cool skin and she heard Alice inhale swiftly. "I wanna be touched like that one day, Alice." She softly kissed the skin beneath her lips before dragging her teeth along the vein.

She felt Alice's cool lips close around her earlobe, tongue fluttering against the sensitive skin. Heat erupted in the blonde, setting her blood on fire and rushing directly to her aching center. She felt herself _flood. _Her hips jerked forward into Alice and she unconsciously pulled her ear away from the older woman's lips.

"Oh! _F-fu-huuck._" The word was no more than a broken exhale. Her body shuddered again as Alice leaned forward and captured her ear again. The younger girl's reaction, again, was a powerful spasm. She could feel Alice's hot breath spilling inside of her ear. Her hips jerked forward again and this time she consciously ground her throbbing clit against Alice's hipbone.

Alice released K-Mart's ear and pulled away from the blonde. K-Mart felt her hips rise one final time, searching for contact. She immediately blushed at her body's involuntary response. Alice grinned at her. "I need to go help clean up and get supplies. Please, don't leave the hummer this time. I don't want to have to take you across my lap."

The older woman winked at her and K-Mart could feel her cheeks and ears burn even hotter than before. Her center ached at the images that Alice's words had conjured behind her eyes. She shot Alice a glare. "As if I could walk right now anyway," she grumbled, though not truly disgruntled with the older blonde. "Alice," she called as the older woman was opening the door to get out.

Alice turned back toward K-Mart and lifted an inquisitive brow. "You don't think I'm too young do you?" She tried to mask the poutiness in her voice.

The older woman grinned at her and ruffled her hair. "I think you're perfect, Special K." She leaned in and captured the younger girl's lips in a fiery kiss. As she pulled away, she winked at K-Mart and closed the door of the hummer leaving the stunned blonde in the back seat.

K-Mart's lips were tingling as she watched the older woman walk toward Claire and Carlos. Once the ache had left, she noticed a different kind of throbbing. She searched her leg until she found a small tear in her pants. She pushed her finger inside and pulled it back out – bright red blood coated her finger. _Oh no! I've been scratched!_ The thought alone was enough to make hot tears fill her eyes and spill onto her cheeks. What was she going to tell Claire?

* * *

_A/N: Oh my God! Nooo, K-Mart can't be infected! Right? I'm so mean. Guess you guys will have to come back next week to find out! ;-)_


	13. Chapter 13

_Review Responses:_

_mickelus – Addiction! Success! I must warn you, it is a gateway drug for which there is no rehab. ;-) Glad you enjoyed the chapter, I'm sure K-Mart at least picked up a thing or two before her brain officially melted into a pool of lust._

_Kungfu Kia – You have nothing against threesomes, but you don't want it to end in a threesome? Does that mean I can throw a threesome in the middle and you'll be okay with it? ;-) I mean, there seems to be an overwhelming population who wants to see Alice/Claire/K-Mart sexy-time._

_DalekSek-kmz – Don't let any of those pins or needles stick you, you could get infected ;-) Oh trust me, there will definitely be OTHER people when they finally get to that Umbrella facility, though I doubt you'll guess where I've decided to take it. LoL for the moment anyway._

_jackjack09 – Hahahahah fire crotch ::giggles uncontrollably:: We'll see. I like K-Mart as the innocent young girl with unrequited love, but… I love her too much to just off her mid-story with no jollies._

_kluve – You know, I've often wondered if that was K-Mart's look for Alice, or if that was just Spencer Locke (young fresh Hollywood blood) trying not to toss herself across the room at Milla… either way, I definitely saw the Alice/K-Mart in that scene. Of course I also saw the Claire/K-Mart when Claire was asking Carlos for a cigarette. That little smirk K sent in Claire's direction made me want to just swallow her whole. Yay! Score one for effective teasing!_

_PrincessLia – I'm always up for a one-shot challenge. Plus I love Alice/Rain as well. And yes, K and Angie I always thought would be a cute pair. In the original RE3 script, K was way more of a smart-mouthed badass, I can see her totally taking Angie in and protecting the girl. Alice's sense of humor and delight in teasing MAY be based off of my own enjoyment for teasing, sure, but I would always aim for the 'lucky' instead of the 'poor'. Alice could tease me ALL she wanted and I would keep coming back for more torture… (I think the Puscifer song REV 22:20 describes my obsession with Milla best) ;-)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

She found Claire with Carlos and Betty by the ambulance. The group appeared to be in a heated conversation about something. She approached them cautiously, not knowing if she would be allowed into the private meeting.

Claire caught her eyes and angled her body away from Carlos. It was a clear invitation for Alice to join their small circle. "We're trying to come up with the best method for detecting infection," the redhead stated tersely. "Carlos here thinks that everyone should strip naked and be looked over for bite marks or scratches after every encounter."

Alice could tell by the tone of Claire's voice that she wasn't on board with this method. "I'm sure Carlos would volunteer himself to give you a onceover, Claire." She smirked at Carlos who scowled at her, though the older woman could tell he wasn't really upset with her.

"What about you Betty? Any ideas?" The convoy leader looked at the woman pleadingly.

"I don't know Claire. It's a tough situation. I didn't even know LJ had been bitten, and we were pretty up close and personal, if you know what I mean." Alice could tell the joke was forced. The dark skinned woman looked as if she were about to fall apart.

Claire winced. "Yeah Betty, we know what you mean. Can you think of any other way of detecting this? You _are_ the nurse after all."

This caught Alice's attention. She turned toward the dark-skinned woman. "You're a nurse?"

"Well I used to be, back before all of this shit went down." She motioned to the deserted city around them. "A damn good one too!"

Alice smiled. "That's very fortunate for the convoy. I'm sure they appreciate your skills. Especially your quick thinking."

Betty returned the smile. She had no clue Alice was handling her. "I have a proposal," the older woman started. "It may seem…odd."

All three pairs of eyes were on her in an instant. "Odd, how?" The convoy leader asked. Her eyes were skeptical, but held a bit of hope.

"Well," Alice took a deep breath. "You both know I have _enhanced_ senses," she indicated Claire and Carlos. "My sense of smell is so heightened that I can smell infected for miles." She thought back to how she could smell the infection in Angie's blood. "I can also smell the infection before it turns a person, _if_ I get close enough to them."

"You mean like one of those cancer-smelling dogs?" Betty interrupted.

Alice's eyes cut to the nurse, glaring coldly. A low growl rumbled in her chest.

Betty's eyebrows shot up and she took a step back. She lifted her arms, palms outward in a sign of surrender. "No disrespect. I mean that's actually really cool. That could work Claire."

The redhead's eyes regarded Alice for a few moments before turning back to Betty. "Medically, this could work? Viruses give off scents?"

She shook her head. "Viruses don't give off scents, but this virus kills the tissue it comes into contact with." She wrinkled her nose. "And dead tissue definitely gives off a scent. If Alice's senses are enhanced like she says, she'll be able to smell the dead tissue before if starts to show on the outside. So, yes, in theory, it should work."

"Okay then, well, no time like the present to check that out. We have a _lot_ of people who were just in contact with the virus. Should I just line them up and let you sniff them?" The convoy leader's eyes had a wicked gleam as she said this last part.

Alice rolled her eyes at the woman's teasing comment. "I think it would be better as a one on one. It's not like I'm just going to stand in front of them and inhale. Smelling the infection through layers of good skin is difficult, unless it's been spreading for hours. I'll have to get pretty close."

Claire's eyes narrowed. "How close?"

Alice smirked and stepped closer to the redhead. She gently tucked Claire's hair behind her ear and leaned in. Her nose and lips were brushing the skin of Claire's neck and she inhaled deeply. Claire shivered as Alice pulled away. "I know that your neck isn't infected."

She moved down Claire's body quickly, sniffing at her arms and hands. Inhaling the air around her stomach before moving down her legs and up the back side of her body. "You're blood is clean." She heard the redhead's shaky exhale.

"Well that's…good to know." Claire gathered herself and turned to Betty. "Start rounding people up." The dark-skinned woman took off toward the groups of people scattered throughout the vehicles. "Carlos, we're gonna need to borrow the deuce."

"Okay boss lady." Carlos led the two over to the Army truck and hopped into the back. "Is this gonna be enough room Alice?" he asked smirking.

"All they have to do is stand there, Carlos," she stated curtly after picking up on the man's innuendo. "It will be fine, gutter-head." She grinned at the man.

She climbed into the back of the Army truck and waited for the first of her _patients._ "Do you have any cuts or scratch marks? I'll have to check those areas a bit more closely because the concentration of white blood cells masks the scent of infection. So if you could expose any abrasions for me this will go quicker," she said to the first man who hopped into the deuce. The whole situation was extremely awkward the first couple of times.

* * *

She quickly found a rhythm and before she knew it, the nurse was bringing her the last of the convoy. "You got one more, Fido." Betty winked at the tall blonde. Alice could see that the woman had been crying, so she gave the nurse a big grin, which Betty returned.

Alice rolled her eyes at Betty's comment. She could tell that that she and the nurse were going to get along just fine. "Well give me my last _victim_ already," she said evilly until she saw the young blonde with Betty. "K-Mart? But she was in the hummer."

Betty looked at the girl apologetically, and then back to Alice. "Not the whole time. Claire's orders."

Alice remembered. K-Mart had left the hummer and had been chased by three infected. Alice had been terrified that the girl would get caught but she and Claire had taken care of the creatures and put K-Mart back in the hummer. "Alright Special K, up ya go." She grabbed K-Mart's hand and lifted the girl straight into the air, setting her down in the back of the deuce and putting the curtains back in place.

K-Mart was extremely nervous. Her heart was pounding. Alice put a hand on the girl's shoulder to calm her down. "Hey, it's okay. I'll be really quick. We'll be done in no time." She smiled at the young blonde and K-Mart swallowed audibly. "What is it?" The older woman asked.

"N-nothing," the younger girl stuttered. "Let's just get this over with."

Alice started with K-Mart's neck, gently pulling aside the curtain of blonde hair and leaning in. Her lips grazed the girl's soft skin and Alice heard her heartbeat quicken. She smiled against K-Mart's skin as she inhaled deeply, dragging her lips down toward the girl's collarbones. The tip of her nose brushed across the blonde's chest and down her right side. She could still smell K-Mart's blood so strongly. It made her mouth water. She cut across her lower torso and went back up the left side. Then, putting her nose against the base of K-Mart's spine she trailed upward along the spinal cord breathing in. She felt the chill run through the younger girl's body. She wished she had had a reason to ask the blonde to remove her shirt, she would love to feel that soft skin underneath her lips as she worked, but instead she moved on.

"Almost finished, K." She followed the outside of K-Mart's leg down and then back up the outside of the opposite leg. "All done." She smiled up at the girl from her kneeling position. K-Mart shook her head.

"We're not finished, Alice I – Betty told me you were checking injuries more thoroughly." She swallowed loudly. "I found a cut – on my leg. I don't know where I got it, but it wasn't there yesterday." She turned her eyes away from Alice, fear evident on her face.

Alice inhaled slowly to calm herself. K-Mart _couldn't _be infected. She _couldn't._ She was so young. She closed her eyes. "Where were you hurt K-Mart?" She managed to keep her voice from trembling, but the thick rasp gave her emotions away.

"It's here." The blonde put her fingers on the inside of her thigh about an inch from her groin. "Whatever it was tore through my pants. I noticed the tear when I was in the hummer after you left and I – I found the cut." Her voice was shaking and her hands were trembling.

Alice reached out and took K-Mart's hand. "Shhhhh, you're okay K-Mart. Everything is okay." Her eyes caught the blonde's wide, brown eyes as her hand reached up and started unfastening the buckle of K-Mart's belt. She slid the cargo pants down the girl's legs until they were pooling around her ankles. Alice saw the cut K-Mart was referring to. The girl had a trail of blood still slowly trickling down her leg. "K-Mart, this is deep, we need to dress it."

"Alice, please. J-just tell me if it's – if I'm – just tell me if I'm infected." Tears were streaming down the younger girl's cheeks now.

Alice leaned closer and took a long, slow breath. It was agonizing. K-Mart's sweet blood was tantalizing. So close. All she had to do was part her lips and run her tongue over – _what the fuck? _She knew she needed to pull away from the girl. Her blood was clean. Whatever had caused this wound hadn't been infected. Instead of moving away, she took another deep breath, breathing in the scent of K-Mart's blood. She tilted her head slightly and the tip of her nose gently grazed K-Mart through the thin cotton cloth of her panties. Almost instantly, Alice was able to detect another very strong scent – K-Mart's arousal.

It overloaded Alice's senses and before she could stop herself, her excited blood was forcing her body to lean forward. Her tongue peeked out from between her lips and danced along the gash, lapping at the fresh blood.

K-Mart's knees went weak, and intuitively, Alice wrapped her arms around the blonde's hips, holding her upright. Her lips sealed around the wound, sucking vehemently, tongue tracing the cut back and forth. K-Mart's hips jerked forward into Alice knocking the older woman back into reality.

Alice pulled away from the younger woman, blinking rapidly. She looked up at K-Mart's shocked face. "God, K. I'm – I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. You're smell, it just – it was intoxicating." She shook her head and backed away from the girl to get a lungful of un-K-Mart-scented air.

K-Mart's chest was rising and falling at a rapid pace and Alice could still hear the girl's heart hammering in her chest. "Alice that – you – you drank my blood. Oh my God! Are you a vampire?" The girl's eyes went wide. "That would totally explain some things. Cold skin. Crazy mind powers. Keen senses. I _read_ True Blood you know."

Alice couldn't help her laughter. It wasn't the soft, throaty chuckle she usually gave the girl. It was full-out, hysterical laughter. K-Mart looked at the older woman like she had lost her mind. "K-Mart, I'm not a vampire. I promise." She laughed again, and this time the young blonde joined her.

Suddenly the curtain pulled aside briefly and Claire was in the back of the deuce with them. She looked back and forth between Alice and K-Mart before noticing K-Mart's pants around her ankles. She lifted a brow. "What's going on?"

The question was clearly directed at Alice, but K-Mart must have felt the need to answer. "I had a cut on my leg, Alice had to make sure it wasn't infected."

Claire's eyes bulged. "You got cut? K, why didn't you tell me?" She dropped to her knees in front of the girl to look over the wound.

"I was scared. I thought you would be mad at me for getting out of the hummer." She tried to back away from the redhead but Claire's hands on her hips halted her progress.

"Yeah well we're going to have a chat about that later," she promised the blonde. Claire's fingers were tracing the wound when she noticed it had been cleaned. "Well at least you had the good sense to clean it, but next time clean your whole leg K. This dried blood can easily cause irritation."

K-Mart blushed and Alice couldn't hide her smirk. The girl looked to her for an escape, but the older woman was trying not to break out in laughter again. "Um – we were – getting to that. Alice was – helping me clean it." She swallowed loudly.

Claire seemed to buy the answer before pulling off her over shirt and tank top. K-Mart's eyes went wide with confusion until the redhead put her over shirt back on. She poured a little water from her canteen onto the tank top and proceeded to clean the rest of the dried blood from K-Mart's leg. "At least it's not that deep," Claire said quietly. The blonde stared into Claire's eyes for a long moment when the convoy leader was finished. Then her eyes flickered to Alice in a questioning glance. Alice shrugged. Finally, Claire stood. "You can pull your pants up now K," she said with a smirk.

K-Mart quickly pulled her pants up and blushed. Her eyes were going back and forth between Claire and Alice, as if waiting for one of them to speak to break the awkwardness that had settled over them. Finally Alice granted her wish.

"We should probably start gathering those supplies now." The older woman hopped out of the back of the deuce and helped the other two down.

K-Mart looked around before spotting something of interest. "Guys, look." She pointed across the street and down a couple of blocks to a warehouse-like store. "It's an outdoors door. For like, hiking and backpacking and stuff. I bet we can find _all_ _kinds_ of supplies in there."

Alice grinned at the girl. "You are just full of surprises today aren't you." She winked at K-Mart. She was really impressed with the girl's idea. "Let's get the hummer down there and check it out while they're refueling the tanker."

* * *

The three women drove the couple of blocks to the store. Inside they found it was still fully stocked. It seemed as if the undead horde had kept away looters. Ironically enough, those infected birds that had nearly killed them all a few days prior, had given them the best chance at restocking and surviving. Alice grabbed one of the large packs from the wall and began stuffing it full of freeze-dried food, energy bars, powdered Gatorade, anything she could find. She noticed Claire and K-Mart doing the same thing.

"Oatmeal!" K-Mart squealed. "Oh my God, Claire, actual breakfast!" She was ecstatic. The redhead grinned at the younger girl stuffing the oatmeal in her pack. Claire was busy gathering up bottled water, containers for treating and storing water, and sports drinks. Alice watched as the convoy leader raked the whole shelf of iodine tablets into her pack. It gave Alice an idea.

She found the aisle with the first aid supplies and began grabbing specific items that would come in handy. Gauze, antibiotic ointment, bandages, Quik-clot, she even found a field surgery kit. Next she raided the survival gear aisle. She loaded down with hunting knives, machetes and a few multi-tools. She found a cross bow, a recurve bow, and took several sheaths of arrows. She grabbed a few sleeping bags and a tent – just in case. She then found something that put a big smile on her face. She took all of the packages and stuffed them into her bag for later.

It wasn't until she noticed Claire and K-Mart at the back just staring at a wall that she took any interest in what was there. Ammunition. Instantly all three women were filling packs with shotgun shells, 45 rounds, and 9mm rounds. This place was a gold mine. She clasped K-Mart on the shoulder when they were loading their spoils into the hummer. "I could kiss you right now," she told the young blonde.

K-Mart blushed, but Alice could tell that the younger woman was proud of herself for spotting the store.

They were about to get back to the convoy when an idea struck Alice. She glanced at Claire. "I have to grab a couple more things. Fifteen minutes, tops." The redhead looked at her skeptically. "Look, if I'm not back by that time you can leave without me."

Claire shook her head. "We're not leaving you in Vegas Alice. Christ. Me and K can come with you to get whatever you need."

"It's fine Claire. I'll be okay, I promise."

Alice watched as the hummer drove back to the convoy. Claire and K-Mart would be excited to let the others know about their success. They would need to inventory the supplies, but it would have to wait until they were out of the city and in a safe place. Just because they had been good so far didn't mean their luck would continue to hold out.

Alice took off in a sprint. She could remember exactly where the store was that she was looking for. Vegas had been a favorite hang out of hers back in the day. She could recall plenty of nights here, and there were probably plenty of nights she _couldn't_ recall that were spent here as well. She grinned to herself.

She found the store with no trouble. She entered cautiously. She could smell infection, but it wasn't overwhelming so she knew that it would only be one or two. She spotted the first one by a clothing rack that was loaded with lacy black garments. She took his head off easily. Too bad she sprayed infected blood all over the clothes, they were beautiful with their silk and lace. Not that she had the need for such things anymore.

She continued deeper into the store, taking out two more creatures before finding what she was looking for. She grabbed a few garments, stuffing them into her pack. One more undead was waiting for her along the back wall. A crawler. His legs had decayed so much he couldn't stand upright. Had it been anyone but Alice, they probably would have missed him entirely and been bitten. She grabbed a few more things off of a shelf on the back wall and then made her way back to the convoy.

* * *

When she arrived, Claire was staring at her watch. "Fourteen minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Really Alice? I was about to send out a search party."

Alice grinned at the convoy leader's concern. "I told you fifteen minutes tops." She winked at the redhead, who was shaking her head in frustration. "Let's just get the hell out of here."

Once the guys had drained all of the gas from the casino pumps, the convoy took to the road again.

* * *

They found a place to camp about 100 miles northwest of Vegas. Alice and K-Mart were helping the convoy leader go through the supplies they had gathered. Claire caught Alice's eyes and whispered to the older woman. "We'll put most of the food in the deuce, but Alice, I want three packs, filled with supplies, in the hummer, just in case. I have three 20 gallon fuel tanks in the hummer, tonight when it's my watch, I'll fill them up from the tanker." Alice nodded in understanding. It was a sound idea. They could never depend totally on the convoy. Who knew when it might be split up, or the deuce could be lost in some sort of accident. It was never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket.

She was extremely pleased with their find today. She had noticed when they were taking inventory that they had managed to grab a few sets of camp cookware, including a cook stove and several propane canisters. Cups, bowls, and silverware. Soaps, shampoos, and antibacterial wipes. Solar powered charging kits with rechargeable batteries for the radios, and probably, what had her most excited was the camp shower that K-Mart had found. They had also stocked up on warm clothes for when they reached Alaska.

They each had found a new pair of boots and K-Mart and Claire had found a few more pairs of cargo pants and some shirts. They had grabbed clothes in various sizes to be distributed throughout the convoy. The day had been a huge success.

"So what'd you get today that was so important?" K-Mart asked Alice. The question had caught Claire's attention and she turned to hear the answer as well.

Alice shrugged at the women. "A few garments. A couple of gadgets. Nothing really, just saw the opportunity to grab a few things that I probably wouldn't find anywhere else." She could tell that the redhead wasn't satisfied with the answer, so she pulled out the clean white bra from her pack. "Mine is getting kind of worn," she mused.

Claire laughed. "Who knew Alice would be shy about shopping for underwear." She elbowed the young blonde and the two giggled.

Alice narrowed her eyes at the pair. "Funny. Keep laughing." She shook her head and pretended to be upset with the two. She knew they both saw straight through her mock-outrage.

* * *

That night, after Claire's watch, they prepared for sleep. Claire turned to Alice. Her eyes were curious, but she hesitated. "What is it?" Alice asked.

"The bite on my shoulder," she paused, blushing lightly when K-Mart made a squeaking noise. "It's almost entirely healed, Alice. Is there any way you can explain that?"

Alice was truly perplexed. Aside from Claire being an insanely fast healer, nothing she could think of would be the cause. She shook her head. "I can't think of any reason, but that's amazing, do you mind if I have a look?"

Claire pulled the neck of her shirt aside so Alice could have a better look at the wound. The redhead hadn't been lying, the wound looked as if were at least a week old already. She narrowed her eyes. "Do you usually heal this quickly?"

Claire shook her head. "No, this isn't my body's doing Alice. It has to have something to do with you – your condition. Some healing enzyme in your saliva maybe."

Alice shook her head. "You people have _got_ to stop with the dog jokes."

Claire didn't laugh. "I'm serious, Alice."

K-Mart had been quiet up until that point, but she spoke up then. "She's right Alice. My cut – it's almost – I mean – it's almost healed as well. I wasn't going to say anything until we were alone, but..." The blonde blushed furiously at the incredulous look the convoy leader shot in her direction. But then Claire turned her hot gaze on Alice.

"And would either of you care to explain to me how your saliva ended up on K-Mart's groin?" She narrowed her eyes at Alice.

* * *

_A/N: Dun dun dun! Busted! How is Alice going to explain this one? "Um, I licked my shirt to clean the blood away? I tripped and the only thing I could do to save myself was latch on to K-Mart's groin? K-Mart was going into shock and I tried to give her mouth-to-mouth. Did I mention I failed anatomy?"_

_You guys have got to go check out the awesome Alice/Claire video that HeartbreaknRomance made! It captures everything that I think about when I picture these two together! You tube Alice/Claire I Have Loved You (RE Femslash) __ /GHSa19q_vHY (can't make a link in here but you get the point)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Review Responses:_

_DalekSec-kmz – Thank you! :-) I just couldn't kill K off. I have too much fun writing her. I feel like the next few chapters flowed more easily dialogue-wise while I was writing them (hopefully). Thanks for the review!_

_mickelus – hahahah, Claire and K-Mart already have super powers, strong ones, called sex appeal ;-) As long as Alice is protecting them, that's the only thing they need! But, we shall see what I have in store for Alice's newfound…ability._

_PrincessLia – Right? I know if I were in that convoy, I'd go all emo and start cutting my own thighs just to get Alice's face pressed between them…. 0_o I tried to add a bit more comedy to this one as I feel the story is about to take a huge shift in content. What else did Alice manage to pick up in that store? You'll find out in the next couple of chapters ;-)_

_kluve – Well damn! Thinking about the young Hollywood girl not being able to control herself around a Goddess like Milla and totally leaking through in character was kind of a hot fantasy ;-) Funny story behind that cut actually! And yes, Alice is way better than a blood test. Let me think…poked by sharp needles ooooooorr poked by Alice's cool tongue… _

_Kungfu Kia – Haha, I'm glad I continue to entertain you :-) Alice is pretty damn sly, so I figure she can probably talk herself out of any situation. Not sure when I would toss it in there. I guess maybe in the sequel. ;-)_

_JamieS91 – It's great to hear you like the story. I'll keep it coming for a while. :-) Thanks for the review!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Claire's POV

She didn't know if she was angry, or hurt, or turned on by the revelation that Alice's mouth had apparently been attached to K-Mart's groin. She rationalized with herself. She couldn't be angry with Alice; just the other day she had hinted that the older woman might find comfort with K-Mart, though what, exactly she'd been thinking at that point she didn't know. Did she really want Alice and K-Mart being so _close_?

She wanted K-Mart to be happy, and she didn't really see herself ever filling that void in the blonde's life. The more and more she thought about K-Mart, the more she realized that she did in fact feel something for the girl, but she also felt very strongly for Alice, especially after Vegas. The older woman had opened Claire up in a way that few ever had.

She couldn't be angry with K-Mart when she had left the girl high and dry, not once, but twice now. She wasn't hurt by the action, though she thought she might be a little hurt by the fact that K-Mart had lied about it earlier in the deuce. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the thought of Alice and K-Mart together didn't bother her at all. In fact, as she waited for one of the women to answer her, she felt a little flushed.

Finally Alice broke her from her thoughts. "When I was checking to see if the cut was infected, I – the scent of K-Mart's blood was overwhelming." She looked away from Claire. "I would have been able to handle it by itself, but when it mixed with – um – when K-Mart was – "

"When the sight of her kneeling between my legs with her face pressed up against me, made me wet," K-Mart completed Alice's former sentence, with a dark blush. The girl's eyes were staring at her feet shyly.

Alice exhaled slowly. "Yes…that. When that happened, I lost control. I didn't think about what I was doing; I just leaned forward and started cleaning the blood from her cut." She closed her eyes. "With my tongue," Alice finished softly.

Images flooded Claire's mind. _I lost control._ She could feel the blood rush to her center at the thought of Alice's tongue dancing along K-Mart's thighs. _Control_. She distinctly remembered how it felt to have that tongue lapping at the wound on her shoulder. The wound Alice has caused. The wound Alice had licked blood from. The wound that was almost healed now. _Virus. Control._ The flashback was playing in her mind.

"_You can't help, Claire. If you come any closer I won't be able to control myself. It's – it's the virus. It takes control of me during a fight. It doesn't like to relinquish that hold very easily."_

Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She rounded on Alice. "You're infected!" She accused the older woman.

Alice's eyes broke contact. _Guilty_. "You're infected with the virus. You've been exposing us all to the virus for days. That's what's enhancing your senses. That's what causes your body to regulate its own temperature. That's what lets you do crazy things with your mind." The redhead's eyes were livid. She couldn't believe she had actually trusted this woman. "Get out," she whispered.

Alice closed her eyes and opened the door to get out.

"Wait!" K-Mart cried. "You can't leave us Alice. Claire please, calm down." K-Mart was climbing over the seat and grabbing at Alice, pulling the woman back into the hummer. "You're not going anywhere." She slammed the door shut.

Claire turned her angry gaze to her young friend. "K-Mart she lied to us. She's one of them." Her eyes went back to Alice's. "You bit me! Am I infected now? Did you infect K-Mart?" She was getting angrier and angrier the longer she thought about it.

Alice shook her head. "I didn't – it's not – I'm not contagious," she finally managed to get out.

Claire's anger was tangible at this point. She could feel her blood pumping in her temples. She could hear her heartbeat in her own ears. She reached for her Glock. Alice was going to get out of this damn truck if she had to force her out at gunpoint. All she saw was red, until she felt soft lips pressing against her own. Her vision of Alice went blurry and then all she could see was K-Mart's wide, brown eyes, filled with fear.

K-Mart's lips moved against hers gently and Claire could feel the anger draining from her body. She leaned into the younger woman and returned the kiss. K-Mart kept the gentle kiss going until all of the tension had left Claire's body. She pulled away and looked at Claire pleadingly. "Please, Claire. Just let her explain." Claire could feel K-Mart easing the pistol from her hand and laying it on the seat beside her. "Please."

Claire closed her eyes and nodded. Now that the anger was gone, she was embarrassed at how she had reacted. She had already had her suspicions about what had caused Alice's abilities, and she hadn't been too far off. She nodded again, looking at Alice. "Explain." Her voice was still clipped, but it was more in exhaustion than ire.

The older woman sighed. "After I escaped the Hive, I was captured by Umbrella soldiers, me and one other guy. They experimented on us. But when the creatures overran the city, they evacuated and left us there to die. Luckily – or unluckily, however you look at it – we woke up and escaped the facility into the city." Her eyes were pained. "Matt, he – he mutated into this hideous creature, Project Nemesis, that was his research title. They made me fight him. They made me kill him, but I didn't. Not completely. He – he saved my life in the end. But he was still in Raccoon City when the bomb went off."

She took a slow, calming breath and her eyes clouded with memories. "The Umbrella Officer that forced me to fight Matt told me that my blood had bonded with the T-Virus. I still don't entirely know what that means. I've been searching for answers at every Umbrella facility I could find. The one in Cleveland was the most helpful. Their artificial intelligence told me that I wasn't contagious to humans, and that my blood had altered the T-Virus in ways they had never imagined possible. She told me that Umbrella had planted a chip inside of my brain so that they could control me, that I was going to be their greatest weapon. Project Alice." She shook her head. "But I rebelled. I fought the chip in Detroit and destroyed it today. I could feel them trying to take control, and I fried it. That's how I knew they were on the roof."

Alice's eyes found Claire's. "The virus keeps giving me more and more power, but it comes at a cost. You saw me, today after the fight. I lose control sometimes." She looked away ashamed. "I try so hard to control it, but I can only do so for short periods before I have to – to take my mind off of it entirely."

Claire swallowed loudly. "That's why you were – that's how you distract yourself?"

"It's the only thing I've found that works, but even that is becoming less and less effective." Alice looked at the redhead with sad eyes.

Claire nodded in understanding. It all made sense now. Alice's abilities. Her strength. "Okay. Well, what does all of this mean?"

"It means that Alice is a walking miracle," K-Mart whispered. The young blonde's eyes were locked on Alice with awe. "And it means she's not contagious." She looked pointedly at Claire.

"Okay, okay. I may have overreacted a bit." She looked at Alice apologetically. "I'm sorry, Alice. I just – "

"Claire I understand," Alice cut her off. "If I were in your shoes and had thought for one second that I was endangering K-Mart, I would have pulled the trigger."

K-Mart inhaled sharply. "Well, let's just all be glad that Claire isn't so trigger happy." Though she was glancing at the gun in the seat while she said the words.

Claire really took in the entire situation then; it could have definitely gone a lot worse. "So, it's the virus that's healing us?" She was still confused about that topic.

"I don't know," the older woman answered honestly. "I've never seen anything like it before. But I don't normally go around licking people's wounds. That's – definitely a new quirk that's just popped up. I heal quickly, but again, I don't lick myself." She shook her head at the statement.

K-Mart giggled and reached over to pat Alice on the head. "Good girl," she teased. Alice shot her a scowl, but it quickly turned into smirk.

"I guess I'm more like an animal than I ever really cared to admit." Her eyes looked as if she were lost in some deep thought.

Claire reached out and caught Alice's chin, bringing the older woman's eyes to her own. "Animal or no animal, virus or – or no virus, you still saved us. You saved K-Mart in Vegas. I would never have gotten to her in time." The thought brought that painful lump to the back of her throat and she closed her eyes and swallowed hard, forcing it away. "I owe you everything." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Alice's. It was just a gentle brush of skin. She kept her eyes focused on the woman in front of her and watched as Alice's eyes fluttered shut. She could feel the older woman leaning into her, seeking more contact, willing Claire to not pull away.

A thought tickled the edge of Claire's consciousness. Alice was a woman who had rarely, if ever, known love. She probably didn't even remember what it felt like to love and be loved, if she had ever known in her previous life. The redhead wasn't sure that with the virus, Alice was capable of loving someone. She had probably saved the lives of countless ungrateful people, who repaid her by turning her away. Claire had almost been one of those people. She made a silent vow to herself that she would show Alice how it felt to be appreciated, and maybe some day, how it felt to be loved. She reached up and cupped the older woman's face. Alice tilted her face into the redhead's hand and Claire parted her lips, inviting the older woman to deepen the kiss.

Alice didn't hesitate. Her tongue slipped into Claire's mouth and their lips melded together. It was so delicate, and the redhead marveled at the way Alice could be so soft when her exterior was so rough. The older woman's lips were still chapped so Claire dug into her pack to find her lip balm. She refused to break the kiss even when her lungs were screaming for oxygen. She finally pulled away when she felt a warm hand close around her own and take the can of lip balm from her.

K-Mart's eyes were wide as she coated her finger with the lip balm and gently traced around Claire's lips. The redhead had almost completely forgotten that the younger woman was there, but when K-Mart's hand closed on hers, a dam inside of her had burst open. The girl's touch on her already sensitive lips was electric, and when the blonde slid her fingers around the back of Claire's neck pulling her toward the older woman's lips again, the convoy leader lost it.

She climbed over the seat and straddled Alice, pushing her lips against the older woman's forcefully. Alice gasped as the redhead turned her head from side to side, smearing the balm over the her lips. K-Mart's hand on her neck tightened. "Keep going," the girl whispered. Claire felt all the heat in her body pool at her core. Her stomach dropped into a pit of excited butterflies. K-Mart's fingers threaded into Claire's hair, urging her to deepen the kiss.

As the redhead's tongue slid against Alice's, the older woman's hands found Claire's hips, pulling her body closer. Claire could feel Alice grinning into the kiss, her hands tightening around her hips and pulling them even closer.

"Do I have to make it rain in here to get these things to work or what?" Alice asked, grinning aganist Claire's lips.

Claire laughed. It was a genuine laugh that probably no one had heard in years except for the two women in the hummer. She tried her hardest to glare at the older woman's crude comment, but she couldn't stop laughing long enough to make it at all believable.

K-Mart's fingers tightened in her hair and cut her laughter off abruptly. She watched as the blonde's free hand tangled in Alice's hair, and then the older woman was being guided back to her lips. Suddenly, K-Mart was climbing out of the hummer. "I'm gonna go stay with Carlos. You two should kiss and make up," she said with a smirk that Claire had never seen before. That smirk was devious. It looked so wrong on the younger girl's face, but it also looked very sexy.

She slammed the door shut and both women halted what they were doing in order to watch K-Mart disappear into the darkness until they saw the cab light in the deuce. Once she was safely inside with Carlos, Alice looked at Claire. "I thought we had already made up," she grinned.

The redhead shut her eyes, shaking her head at the other woman. "I can't believe you said _make it rain_ in front of K-Mart," she chided. "If I thought for one second that the girl knew what that meant I would have smacked you." She looked out the window briefly. "K-Mart doesn't need to know about my past. All that matters is now, that I'll protect her, that I'll take care of her no matter what."

Alice ran her hands up the redhead's spine under her shirt, pressing down on the cords of tense muscles that ran along either side. The younger woman moaned deeply. "Claire, do you really believe that K-Mart would think less of you if she found out you used to dance on a stage to keep food on the table for your little brother?" She continued to knead the tense muscles of Claire's back, finding the knots easily and putting just enough pressure on them to release the tension.

Alice worked her way up and down Claire's back. When she finally moved on to the redhead's neck, Claire was like butter. The older woman's strong thumbs ran along the tight muscles of her neck, simultaneously bringing Claire forward until their lips met once again. The younger woman's jaw fell open the second she felt Alice's tongue slide across her lips. Claire let all of her focus pinpoint on the kiss. The feeling of Alice's lips against her own, the wet muscle skimming against her teeth, her tongue, the roof of her mouth. It was engrained in her memory that this muscle should be soft, wet, and warm, so the feeling of Alice's cool, slightly rough tongue assaulted her senses in a way a normal kiss had never managed.

Claire's eyes fluttered shut as she ran her hands up her sides and threaded her fingers into her own hair. She, very subtly, started to move her hips against Alice. The redhead gasped as the older woman's cool hand left the back of her neck and shifted around until her fingers were closed around Claire's throat. Not tightly, she wasn't choking the convoy leader, but the threat was enough to make the redhead look down at Alice.

Alice was staring up at her, feral eyes piercing Claire's. The older woman's lips were parted, just slightly and her tongue was running back and forth across the edges of her teeth.

Claire's hips faltered. She had seen that look before. She had seen that _face_ before. "You – you were a regular – at the club. You bought a dance from me every Friday." She tilted her head, clutching for the memories. "You've changed so much. The angles of your face are sharper, your eyes are different – and your hair, but that look on your face …" She trailed off trying hard to remember the details.

"Busted," Alice admitted. "And you look almost as terrified right now as you did back then."

"You were my first," the redhead admitted, almost shyly. "My first lap dance I mean. I had never given one before. I wasn't even supposed to be doing it, but my manager came up to me that night and told me a customer had requested me personally." She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her face. "I was so scared."

"I could tell," the older woman broke in, chuckling lightly.

"That was so long ago," Claire mumbled nostalgically. "I don't remember much about that night, just that petrifying fear, and you were – you were so understanding with me. You almost set me up for failure, I thought everyone was going to be that polite." She laughed.

The older woman smiled. "Now that I can put a face to the memory, I remember that night _very_ well. I came in with my partner, Spence. He pointed you out right away, told me he was going to test out the fresh blood to see if you were worth taking home. That's why I requested you. That's why I kept you in that back room until I knew he had already moved on. I didn't want you to have to deal with him. I didn't really expect to have that good of a time," she confessed.

Claire felt her face get hot as memories flooded her. "Yeah – neither did I."

Alice grinned. "That was definitely the first time I've ever had a dancer ask me what she was supposed to be doing." She laughed. "I could have had you doing anything by that point." She chucked as the redhead looked away uncomfortably. "You did very well for your first time, by the way. It almost looked like you…"

Claire could feel the heat radiating from her center, and she knew that she was blushing. "I did." The confession was a whisper, but she was certain Alice had heard it screaming in her sensitive ears. "I thought about that later, wondering if you had gotten me to do things that the other girls didn't do, but you didn't seem like the type. Though I guess most girls don't – well – you know."

The older woman looked flushed at Claire's confession. "That was always your time. You could have sat there and talked about your day for three hours and I would have been just fine."

"Now you tell me," Claire laughed. "Although, I have to admit, after the first couple of weeks, I started looking forward to Fridays. You made me feel so at ease – after the initial horror of course."

"I started looking forward to it as well. After a week of nothing but covert planning and always looking behind me, that time in the back room with you, where no one was watching, I could just let loose and be myself, it was heaven."

"You always seemed so tense when you came in. Way more tense than you should've been for your jo –" Then her eyes widened. "Wait a minute. You told me you were an investment banker!"

Alice smirked. "And you told me you were twenty-five."

Claire blushed. "Some people were so put off when they found out I was only eighteen. I didn't want to risk losing you as a customer. With your tips, you basically single-handedly made it possible for me to open up my shop." She paused briefly, then looked back at Alice. "Since the mystery of why you requested me in the first place is solved, why not tell me why you decided to tip me so well every night."

Alice smiled. "I could tell dancing wasn't what you wanted to be doing with your life. Some of those girls, you could tell they loved being up there on the stage, in front of all of those men. They loved being the center of attention. But you – you always had this look in your eyes like you'd rather be anywhere else in the world. Except when we went into that back room." She cleared her throat. "You never let it affect your performance of course, but I could tell you were there out of necessity, not desire."

The older woman reached up to cup Claire's face. "That last night I came in and you weren't there, I had come to offer you a job. I hated seeing you have to dance in front of those pigs. I didn't know if you were going to be happy or think I was the hugest pervert in the world, I was so scared. Then when I looked around and didn't see you, I was relieved, because I knew you had gotten out. But – but I was also – I felt kind of empty. I even thought about bribing the manager to give me your real name so I could look you up, but I figured you probably didn't want a constant reminder of that place. So I – well I didn't."

Claire was stunned. "You were going to offer me a job?"

Alice laughed. "Yeah, as like – a live-in housekeeper or something crazy. I didn't know how you would react though. I thought maybe you would've taken it in another way and gotten upset. Like I was trying to buy sex from you or something."

The redhead smiled. "Had it been anyone else I probably would have. And I would've reported it to my manager to have them banned. But, I honestly don't know what I would have said to you. It's very possible I would have walked out with you that night."

Alice exhaled slowly. "What a fool I was for not asking you sooner. Though I can't really picture knowing you before all of this," she gestured to the dark desert outside of the hummer. "I imagine you were a pretty spectacular woman. But you turned out just fine, and you did it all yourself."

Claire shook her head slightly. "Apparently I had a lot of help that I didn't know about, Ms. $500 a dance tipper. If it weren't for you, I never would have been able to save enough to open my shop. Even if I did only get to have it for a few months before the outbreak."

"I didn't like the way those men stared at you. It made my blood boil. I just wanted to see you happy," Alice admitted, and then looked away as if that were something to be ashamed of. "I guess I'll never get that chance now…"

Claire stared at the older woman's profile for a long while. She squeezed her thighs against Alice's hips and leaned forward until her chest was pressed against the older woman's. She moved her hips gently against Alice's. "I always wanted to feel your skin against mine when we were in this position," she whispered. Then, embarrassingly enough, she yawned.

Alice grinned. "It can wait," she assured the convoy leader. She pulled Claire's head down until the redhead's face was tucked into the crook of her neck and the two drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_A/N: Awww… I love the fluffy moments! Looks like Alice was taking care of Claire even before the outbreak. :-)_


	15. Chapter 15

_Review Responses:_

_Kungfu Kia – I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for the review :-)_

_kluve – Yeah, I feel like trust would be a touchy subject for anyone out there, maybe not K-Mart, she seemed very willing to just accept Alice from the first moment. No plans to pull K-Mart/Carlos into this story, but who knows lol Thanks for the review, as always :-)_

_mickelus – I do enjoy f**king with you, how'd you guess? Am I that obvious? ;-) I'm glad you liked Alice and Claire's history. I plan on revisiting that in the future. Thanks for the review :-)_

_PrincessLia - :-D no three-ways as of yet. I still don't know where I'm going to go with that angle. I'm not really that big of a fan of the whole tri relationship thing, but if anyone could make it work, it's definitely these three. Haven't decided exactly how I'm going to use Claire/Alice history yet. I have vague plans to do a flashback scene later ;-) I LOVE that you're addicted! I almost feel just as much excitement when I finish a chapter early and have to hold off until Thursday or Friday to post it LoL Thanks again for the review!_

_poynton90 – I'm really glad you like the story. I try not to make it all about the sex, sometimes it gets hard because when I think about Alice and Claire my mind goes to ONE place LoL If you like the fluffier scenes, you'll probably really enjoy the sequel to this, I'm writing it right now ;-) Thanks for taking the time to review :-)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

K-Mart's POV

When she opened the door of the hummer to grab a change of clothes and her toothbrush, the sight before her almost brought tears to her eyes. Claire was in Alice's lap, straddling her hips, clearly still asleep. Her face was tucked into Alice's neck and her arms were wrapped tightly around the older woman.

Alice was awake, gently stroking Claire's red hair with one hand, the other arm securely fastened around the convoy leader's waist. Her eyes found K-Mart's and she made an almost silent shushing noise.

K-Mart nodded and was going to try to quietly shut the door when Claire stirred. "It's fine K, I'm awake already."

Alice looked shocked, as if she should have known that the younger woman was awake, and K-Mart grinned to herself in the front seat. "Have a good night?" She asked as casually as she could manage.

Claire angled her upper body toward K-Mart and gave the girl a glare that didn't really pack as much punch because her eyes were still soft from sleep.

K-Mart grinned. "I trust you two got everything worked out," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Claire shook her head. "We just talked K."

K-Mart was speechless. "What?! You mean I slept with Carlos in that smelly old Army truck so you guys could have a little chat?"

The corners of Alice's lips turned up, just slightly. "No one said you had to leave the party, Special K." She winked at the young blonde suggestively.

K-Mart blushed as a rush of heat jolted straight to the pit of her stomach. Images of what _could_ have happened, if she had stayed long enough to encourage it, danced in her mind. She blinked the thoughts away. "I need breakfast." She grinned remembering they had oatmeal now. "Of the oatmeal variety." She headed toward the deuce to grab her breakfast.

She stoked the fire with some of the branches and boards Carlos had put in a stack a few feet away. A couple of the boards still had a bit of paint on them, so the flames glowed with a brilliant blue-green hue for the first minute or two. It made K-Mart think of Alice's eyes.

She could hear the two women coming up behind her, talking quietly. Claire sat down next to her and Alice went to sit on the other side of the fire across from them.

The older woman didn't have breakfast. In fact, K-Mart couldn't remember ever having seen Alice eat. Her eyes narrowed into a determined mask as she thought hard about it. _Yes you have, _her brain told her. _She opened the can with her mind powers._ Right. Okay. But still, Alice ate far less than a normal person did. "You don't want breakfast Alice?"

The older woman glanced up with a look on her face like she was a kid that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Um, I only eat once a day, for the most part. I don't require a lot of calories to keep going."

"Is that because of the virus?" The younger woman asked.

Alice's eyes squinted in thought. "I think so. I've always eaten relatively light portions, but when I have – if I ingest fresh – God, this is harder to talk about than I imagined."

"When you ingest fresh blood?" It was a guess, but K-Mart was almost positive that's what Alice was trying to say.

The older woman nodded. "Even a little. Even what I took from you yesterday K-Mart. It sustains me for days."

Claire's eyes were wide. "You can live for days on a couple of ounces of blood?"

Alice nodded again. "If I don't exert a lot of energy." She paused. "After I left Cleveland I went into Canada for a few months. There were still animals there. Wild game. That's where I learned I could survive on blood alone. I had gotten so hungry looking for supplies that when I came across a pack of wolves, I herded one away."

K-Mart could tell her eyes were round with sympathy for the animal, when Alice looked at her and smiled.

"Don't worry K, I didn't kill it, though I had every intention to, when I went to slice its throat, my body just took over." She chuckled at K-Mart's obvious relief. "And I only took a few ounces from the animals I caught." She turned her attention to Claire. "When I came back to the states, back to Nevada, there were no animals here in the desert, so I started gathering supplies again. The food sustains my body better than when I was human, but nowhere even close to what blood does for me."

The redhead stared at Alice. "So the virus turned you into a vampire?"

K-Mart laughed. "That's what I said!"

Alice just shook her head at the younger women. "I'm not a vampire. Hello, I _love_ garlic –when I can find anything that contains it. Crosses don't bother me at all, and I walk out in the sunlight every day." She looked pointedly at K-Mart. "And I _don't sparkle._"

K-Mart couldn't help the giggles that erupted from her. If anyone were still trying to sleep, they would most likely be awake by now. "So the virus turned you into a carnivore?"

Alice shook her head. "I don't think it's that either. I still love vegetables. I could probably be a vegetarian and never have meat again. But when I get close to blood, sometimes it clouds my judgment a bit, and I – well I end up with my face between a seventeen-year-old girl's thighs…" She looked away ashamed. "When I indulge, it just gets harder. I develop a craving for it, and it makes it extremely hard to be around anyone who's bleeding, or anyone whose blood calls out to me." She glanced at Claire, then back to K-Mart.

K-Mart looked down at her feet. She could sense Alice's unease about her confession. But when she looked back up at Alice, the woman's eyes were trained on the exact spot where the girl had been cut. The blonde swallowed noticeably and looked to Claire for a break in the tension, but the redhead's eyes were locked onto the same place Alice's were. Both women looked ravenous, though she knew they were each hungry for something different.

She cleared her throat, effectively bringing both pairs of eyes back to her face. She crossed her legs and squeezed her thighs together. Thinking about what Claire wanted from her – even if the woman wouldn't admit to it – made K-Mart's insides ache. And thinking about what Alice wanted from her, was confusing, but it also made that ache a little stronger, until it was a throbbing sensation in her lower stomach.

"Okay, I guess I can officially check off _have someone look at me like I'm a steak,_ from my bucket list." She laughed nervously and looked between the two women.

Claire snorted. "Only in your dreams, K."

K-Mart scowled at the redhead. "Apparently in _your_ dreams too."

Claire looked indignant. "Oh one time! K. I mean it's not like every night I go to sleep and dream about burying my face in your – "

Alice coughed loudly. "Morning Carlos," she called to the man behind Claire and K-Mart.

Both women turned to see the older man striding up to camp with Betty trailing him. Claire gulped and looked toward Alice. K-Mart could see Alice shake her head, near imperceptibly. She was a bit unnerved at the silent communication between the women, who had only known each other for a short period of time.

"Hey Alice," Carlos replied. "Hey Claire, K-Mart."

K-Mart grinned at the older man and she could see the light blush on his face. She had made him _so_ uncomfortable last night when she told him that she couldn't sleep in a bra. Carlos had barely looked at her for the rest of the night, after she had pulled her bra out from her sleeve and laid it on the dashboard. She chuckled to herself, remembering his reaction.

"What's so funny," Betty questioned from across the fire.

"Nothing," K-Mart giggled. "I was just remembering something from last night." She glanced at Carlos and the man looked away and huffed.

"Carlos, are you blushing?" Betty asked. She started laughing at the man as well.

"What? No! Why would I be blushing?" Carlos huffed.

"He's definitely blushing," Alice chimed in. "But why?"

K-Mart couldn't help but break out into hysterical laughter at this point. Everyone was looking at her questioningly, except for Carlos, who was looking away, glad that the attention was, for the moment, not on him.

"Carlos," Claire said dangerously. She wasn't laughing. She wasn't even smiling. "What's going on?"

"Oh I don't know Claire. For whatever reason K-Mart decided she was going to come stay with me last night – which I can only guess," he stated looking back and forth between the convoy leader and Alice. "She also decided it was a good idea to remove her undergarments and place them on my dashboard. _While_ I was still sitting right there." He crossed his arms and exhaled loudly.

Claire looked at K-Mart angrily. "You took your underwear off in front of Carlos?" Her face was so red that she looked like a fire engine.

"I took my bra off. And I pulled it out through my sleeve. It's not like I stripped for him. Christ!"

Alice snorted loudly and Claire rounded on her with angry eyes. The older woman stopped laughing instantly. Claire turned back to K-Mart. "You just decided to toss it on the dashboard afterward? And you expected Carlos to what? To just be okay with you sitting two feet away from him at seventeen with your hard, little nipples straining against the thin material of your tank top?"

K-Mart blushed and swallowed hard. She looked around at the others. All eyes were on Claire, more than a few eyebrows raised. "Um – I guess I didn't really think about that – as much – as you apparently did."

"Well this just got awkward," Betty deadpanned. She stood to leave and walked off in the direction of the ambulance.

"Yeah," Carlos stated glancing at Claire, as he followed Betty away from the fire.

Alice just sat there with her eyebrow raised.

"Claire," K-Mart whispered. She reached over and touched the redhead's forearm. "Is that what you think about at night when I change clothes?" It was honest curiosity. She wasn't mocking the woman or teasing her, she just really hadn't even considered that her actions might make things awkward for Claire.

"I don't know, K. When I thought about you doing that in front of Carlos. I mean, the thought of Carlos seeing you like that, I – it made me angry."

K-Mart narrowed her eyes. Just a few minutes ago Claire was talking about how they would only be together _in K-Mart's dreams_, and now Claire was getting angry at the _possibility_ that someone else might see her as more than just some dumb kid. It made K-Mart mad. "So you don't want me, but you don't want anyone else to want me either? Is that it? Because that's not fair!"

"It's not like that K-Mart. I just – Carlos? Really? He's almost forty!"

Alice coughed again. "Carlos and I are the same age Claire."

The redhead rounded on the older woman. "You're thirty-seven?!"

Alice nodded. "Almost thirty-eight."

"You do _not_ look thirty-seven. I thought you were just a few years older than me. _Maybe _early thirties."

"Well then, you thought wrong. I'm thirty-seven. Is that an issue?"

"No I jus – "

"No," Alice interrupted. "Because it's really not the age difference that bothers you is it Claire? It's the fact that you _are_ attracted to K-Mart. You just won't admit it."

"Yeah," K-Mart agreed, trying to scowl at the redhead, but she couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips

Claire must have noticed K-Mart's grin, because she gave the girl a half-smile. "Don't be mad K. I'm trying. My brain is just a little stubborn sometimes."

The young blonde snorted. "Sometimes?"

"Hey now!" she mock-pouted, before it shifted into a grin. "It's your big day tomorrow." Claire smiled brightly, trying desperately to change the subject. "Did you ever think about what you wanted?"

She was exhausted with this conversation. She had already told Claire what she wanted for her birthday, and Claire had basically all but denied her outright. It wasn't fair. She could _see_ that the redhead was attracted to her. That much was obvious by her reaction in the hummer and under the tanker, and just a few minutes ago, but the convoy leader kept denying her because of their age difference or _something_. She stood up and started to walk off.

She looked back over her shoulder and shook her head sadly. "You already know what I want Claire," she whispered. Then she walked away in the direction of the tanker.

* * *

_A/N: OMG! K-Mart's finally turning 18! I'm excited! :-D What do you guys think? Will Claire give her what she wants for her birthday? Or will K-Mart start looking in other places? As for the early post? Call it peer pressure. You can thank PrincessLia for that one ;-)_


	16. Chapter 16

_Review Responses:_

_poynton90 – Thanks for the review. That moment between K-Mart and Carlos was actually from a dream I had earlier (may be writing too much RE FF). I thought it was hilarious, so I incorporated it into the story._

_PrincessLia – Haha, awkward is easy for me to write because I'm such an awkward person myself. But yes, I agree with you, if I had been Carlos…I may have had a hard time keeping my hands to myself. As for K-Mart's 18__th__, I am by no means a good enough writer to make a tri-relationship even anywhere remotely believable. Casual sex – I'm good with, but otherwise, I couldn't even begin to compare to Red Hope. K's birthday is definitely going to go in a bit of a different direction (much to your chagrin I'm sure). Although, this chapter you finally get to find out what Alice picked up in Vegas ;-)_

_OnyxTemplar – Oh but K-Mart needs so much! She's starved for attention! She's beyond sexually frustrated! She's hormonal and naïve! Sounds like fun… Wish she'd invite me to her birthday party._

_mickelus – Hahahahah, well you never know exactly what's coming. It depends on my mood when I was writing it. Was I feeling sadistic? Did I think about torturing you for a few more chapters? Perhaps… We shall see ;-D_

_kluve – Hmm, I've never heard of the show, but maybe I'll try to find it on Netflix. I do enjoy some K-Mart, though I'm not sure about SL's other acting, never really seen her in anything, but she's adorable (albeit a bit young for me). Claire is definitely lacking in the commitment world, but who knows, maybe she just needs a push in the right direction. I bet Alice would jump in bed with K-Mart in a heartbeat if it weren't for Claire. I promise there's only a bit more teasing before I finally throw caution to the wind ;-)_

_julia eidrian1 – Thanks for your review :-) The next few chapters only get more exciting!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

"What does she want for her birthday?" Alice turned her gaze on Claire, taking a swig from her canteen.

The redhead sighed, shaking her head. "She wants me to take her virginity."

Alice choked on the water, coughing violently. She really hadn't expected that. She _knew_ that K-Mart wanted Claire, but she didn't honestly think the girl would specifically ask for _that_ for her birthday. When she recovered from her coughing fit, she quietly asked, "I'm guessing you told her no?"

Claire didn't immediately answer. She just stared at the desert ground. "I didn't give her an answer…yet."

Alice lifted a brow. "Because you're scared she'll go to someone else if you tell her no?"

Claire met the older woman's blue-green eyes. "Terrified, Alice," she admitted. "I'm so terrified if I don't give her this _now_ she'll move on and write me off forever. But I honestly don't know if I can give her what she's asking for. What if my brain just won't allow it? What if I shut down halfway through with guilt? Our relationship was never supposed to go down this road…"

"Maybe you should tell her how you actually feel about the situation instead of just shutting her down every time she brings it up. Maybe you can tell her you'll try, but you're going to have to take it slow. Maybe you can not say anything except for _yes_ and then walk her through it at _your_ pace because she has no clue whatsoever what's supposed to happen and how it's supposed to happen and on what timescale it's supposed to happen." The older woman moved closer to Claire. "I seem to remember talking a certain eighteen-year-old girl through a very similar situation about five years ago." She looked at the redhead persuasively.

Claire shut her eyes. "But that was a dance Alice, this is sex. Can you really talk someone through that?"

Alice reached out and lifted the redhead's chin. Claire's eyes fluttered open until the older woman could stare into bright blue. She leaned forward until her lips were at Claire's ear. "Then maybe you should start with a dance," she whispered.

Claire tilted her head and looked at the older woman exasperatedly. "You think I should give K-Mart a lap dance for her birthday?"

Alice smirked. "I think K-Mart would _really_ appreciate a lap dance from you Claire. I know I always did. And who knows, maybe it will open the door for you and you'll be able to go a little further with her. I think you just need to get past the idea that she's a little girl, and accept the fact that she's a young woman now, and what better way to do that than to slip back into _work mode_. Pretend you're still at that club and in walks this gorgeous eighteen-year-old girl who wants a lap dance for her birthday. You wouldn't turn her away would you?"

Claire searched Alice's face for a few moments. "No, I guess I wouldn't. Maybe that could work."

The smirk on the older woman's face turned into a full grin. "In that case, I have something for you." She got up and walked off in the direction of the hummer. Claire followed her to the back hatch and Alice pulled out her pack. She handed it to the redhead and Claire opened it and peered inside. Alice watched the convoy leader's face as her eyes widened.

"_This_ is what you got in Vegas?" She looked at Alice with a shocked expression.

"What can I say," Alice joked. "I got all nostalgic after our conversation. I was going to ask you for a dance later, but – I definitely think K-Mart deserves that first dance."

Claire crawled into the hummer and pulled the older woman inside with her, motioning for Alice to shut the hatch.

Once they were out of the eyes of the convoy Claire emptied the bag out. "Black lace – this is what I was wearing when I – the first time."

Alice nodded. "It looked _really_ good on you."

Claire blushed lightly as she sifted through the contents of the pile in front of her. Silk and lace, garters, stockings, and straps. Alice could read the redhead's face like an open book when she came across the harness._ What the hell?_ Claire's eyes widened even more when she pulled out the leather harness and held it up in front of her face. "And what were you planning on doing with _this?_" She questioned the older woman.

Alice pulled the silicone toy out from behind her. She smirked as the redhead's eyes filled up with desire. She could smell the effect it was having on the convoy leader. She could almost _feel _Claire's soft inner walls tightening around her fingers again.

"God I want to push this inside of you so badly right now," Alice whispered.

Claire's thighs shifted as she squeezed them together. Her blue eyes closed and she inhaled deeply. "I can almost feel it. Stretching me. Filling me." Her hips rolled forward.

Alice dropped the toy into the pile in front of Claire.

The redhead raised an eyebrow in question.

"Just in case," Alice purred, smirking at the scandalized look on Claire's face. "You never know Claire, this lap dance could clear away all of your reservations, in which case, you may actually need this for later." She winked at the convoy leader.

The front door opened and Claire frantically stuffed the items back into the pack. Alice just watched, amused. "You almost ready to head out, K?" The older woman asked.

K-Mart turned in her seat and found the women in the back. "Yeah, I guess we have a pretty long trip ahead of us huh?"

Alice looked searchingly at the girl. "It's only about another seventy-five miles to the Umbrella facility."

"Why would we still go there? That helo can't hold all of us. And we have all the fuel and supplies we need to make it to Alaska now." K-Mart had a valid point.

It saddened Alice that they had already gotten to the place where they would have to part. She was going to that Umbrella facility no matter what. Dr. Isaacs was there, and she needed to pay him a special visit. "Well, about fifty miles north of here is a place called the Desert Trails Motel, it's on the way to the Umbrella facility, and also on the way to Alaska. I figured maybe we could stop there tomorrow, actually sleep in a real bed for your birthday."

Alice could sense the convoy leader's unease with that scenario. "Don't worry Claire, I'll patrol all night. My sense of smell will give the convoy plenty of time to pack back up and get out if there's any trouble."

Claire nodded. "That actually sounds like a really good idea, Alice. I bet everyone would really appreciate a night in a real bed."

Alice grinned, she knew that Claire was thinking about how much easier it would be to give K-Mart her birthday present in a room with chairs and a bed.

K-Mart looked ecstatic. The girl was beaming, her smile from ear to ear. "Oh my God, I can't wait! Best – birthday present – ever!" She climbed over the seat and hugged Alice tightly. "Thank you so much," she smiled and kissed the older woman's cheek.

Alice flushed lightly at the girl's display of affection in front of Claire, but the redhead didn't seem bothered by it, so she hugged K-Mart back. "Anything for you Special K." Alice winked.

K-Mart stared back at Alice with eyes full of love. Alice didn't know how to react to the emotion. It made the older woman's heart swell to be looked at like that, and she moved without even thinking. Her lips were pressed against K-Mart's before she could stop herself. The young blonde was hesitant at first, but she quickly responded, parting her lips and allowing Alice's tongue entrance. It lasted for only a few seconds, but it was so soft and delicate, that Alice felt like she had just kissed a butterfly.

She pulled away from a wide-eyed K-Mart, to find a _very_ wide-eyed Claire shifting her thighs together uncomfortably. Alice inhaled deeply and smirked at the convoy leader.

Claire rolled her eyes at the older woman.

Alice's attention went back to K-Mart and she smiled at how the girl was still wide-eyed from the kiss. "I have to be nice today. After all, tomorrow you're going to get that birthday spanking." She wiggled her eyebrows as K-Mart blushed a brilliant shade of red. "Yeah, you're little eighteen-year-old ass is gonna be on _fire_ all the way to Alaska."

K-Mart took off her ball cap and ran a hand through her messy hair. "I guess it's a good thing I'll get to lay down in a real bed then huh?"

Alice grinned. She loved it when K-Mart blushed demurely, but she loved it even more when the girl responded with matching banter.

Claire shook her head at the two. "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in high school all over again?"

Alice laughed, but K-Mart looked sad all of a sudden. "What's wrong K?" She asked the teenager.

K-Mart's sad eyes found Alice's. "I never got to go to high school," she said softly. "I never got to play varsity sports, or be in the marching band, or graduate. I never got a senior prom." Her eyes flickered to Claire for a second and then back to Alice.

The older woman watched the convoy leader's face fall. Claire shut her eyes tightly, eyebrows pulling together as if she were remembering something painful. Slowly the lines on Claire's forehead disappeared and she pulled K-Mart into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry K. I wasn't thinking when I said that." She gently kissed the girl's forehead, pushing blonde strands from K-Mart's face and kissing her again. "If it's any consolation, I would have _loved_ to have been your prom date," she said without a trace of jest.

K-Mart smiled. "Yeah I bet you would've looked really hot in a black silk dress with a lace back, too."

Alice snorted, covering her mouth with both hands to try and keep the laughing contained. K-Mart looked at her questioningly, but Claire had a wicked glint in her eyes. "Nothing, sorry K," Alice said. "I was just remembering my own prom dress." She shook her head bewildered. "Terrible! It was puffy, with frills – and a big bow."

Claire rolled her eyes at Alice's obvious lie, but the young blonde seemed to buy it. "I can't see you in something like that." K-Mart grinned. "I can't see you in anything but this," she motioned at Alice's outfit. "Maybe tight, black leather. Something with lots of buckles." She winked at the older woman. "You'd be hot in that."

Alice chuckled. "Too bad we forgot to go by the leather shop when we were in Vegas." She ruffled K-Mart's hair and the girl scowled at her. "Let's break camp and head out. We can make it to the motel before lunch if we get on the road now."

Claire nodded and the three women set off to prepare the convoy for another day of travel.

* * *

When they were on the road, Alice decided to get a few hours of sleep since she would be up for the next couple of nights. As she was drifting off, she heard the distinct sounds of K-Mart sliding over to lay her head in Claire's lap.

She woke as the hummer bounced exiting the highway. They were pulling into the parking lot of the Desert Trails Motel. "Keep everyone in the vehicles, I'll make sure it's clear. We're in the middle of nowhere, so if there's any here, they've been here for a while."

Claire went to argue, but Alice shot her a look that made the convoy leader snap her jaw shut again.

"I'll be right back," the older woman assured them. She heard Claire going out over the radio, telling everyone to stay put.

She knew there were infected inside, one at least, maybe two. She could smell them, so she eased the door open and unsheathed her kukris. The lobby was empty. There was an old cigarette machine against one wall. It looked empty from where she was standing, but as she glanced inside, she saw a lone pack of Marlboro Red's at the bottom. She grabbed them and tucked them away in her pocket. Claire would be pleased. She made her way through each of the rooms. Luckily the motel was only one story. When she got to the room where the stench was so bad, she kicked open the door. But what she found wasn't infected, it was a man and a little boy lain out on the bed. Each one had a bullet to the head; the gun was still tucked into the man's hand.

She felt sick, like she may lose the breakfast that she hadn't eaten. She turned away from the sight and found a note on the dresser.

_To whoever finds this note, 11 May 2010_

_My name is Robert Redames, and my family and I are doomed. We were attacked in the night, none of us survived the fight without being bitten. I have taken the appropriate measures to ensure that our bodies do not regenerate, but I have one request, if you should be willing. My older son was not with us when the virus was loosed upon the world. His name is Sam. We had made contact with him three days ago and he had made it to the local jail. We were traveling to Vancouver to the Shelby County Jail to find him. Please, if you have a heart, locate my son, and take care of him. _

_Best of luck to you, Survivor_

_Robert Redames_

She felt a cold hand brush against her shoulder and she spun around knocking the infected to the floor. She had let her senses down, and the smell of the rotting corpses had masked the scent of the lone infected. She smoothly cut the head from the body and the creature stopped struggling. She exhaled loudly. That had been _too_ close. She looked over the thing on the floor. It used to be a woman. The mother? A sister? A stranger? She couldn't tell the age of the creature because it was so decayed.

She was going to have to remove the bodies and bury them before she would be able to correctly deduce if there were anymore _live_ infected – or as live as one of those creatures could be anyway.

She dragged the bodies, wrapped in the linen from the bed, out the back and laid them on the sand. She went in to get a better sense of her surroundings. She didn't smell the stench of rotten flesh any longer, just what was outside, faintly. She went through each of the rooms again, double-checking before she went back to the convoy.

"I found one, but it's clear now. I'm going to have to bury the bodies so they won't taint the air," she told the convoy leader quietly so K-Mart wouldn't have to hear about the family.

"They? I thought you said there was only one," Claire questioned.

Alice nodded. "Only one infected, but there was a man and a boy inside who had taken their own lives. I found this note." She handed the note to the redhead.

After reading it, Claire looked up at Alice. "We'll be passing right by Vancouver. I know what you're thinking Alice, and I'm thinking it too, but Vancouver isn't going to be like Vegas. It's going to be packed with infected."

She shook her head at the thought. "I know, but the convoy can at least get close enough to check it out, see if maybe there's a way."

Claire agreed. "I'll help you bury the bodies," she whispered as she followed Alice around to the back of the motel. They buried the man and his son in a combined grave. Alice dug the infected her own grave, away from her victims. She set the bodies on fire to kill the virus entirely before burying them. She didn't want anything digging them back up and feeding on the infected flesh.

When they were finished it was dark, and they found K-Mart in the room Alice had picked for them. She had covered the bed in sleeping bags and was lying down with a grin on her face. "Guys, this is amazing! Come lay down!"

"Lie," Alice corrected.

"I am not! It's amazing!"

"No I mean it's lie, come _lie_ down," Alice said.

K-Mart lifted an eyebrow. "Okay grammar-police, come _lie_ down then."

Alice chuckled. "I figured I'd give you everything I learned in high school." She winked at the girl.

Alice lay down on the bed next to the younger girl. Her muscles instantly protested because she hadn't lain on something so soft in a very long time, but the longer she stayed there the more comfortable she became. She felt the mattress dip and looked over to find Claire on K-Mart's other side. She inwardly questioned what was going on between the three of them, but she didn't have time for a full emotional investigation. She needed to start patrolling so Claire could get her _show_ on the road.

"I'm gonna start my patrol," she said rising from the bed. She pulled the redhead up with her and Claire walked her to the door. "I almost forgot to tell you. K-Mart's ears, are _really_ sensitive," she whispered. "Have fun tonight." She winked at the redhead before closing the door and making her way outside.

* * *

_A/N: Eighteen! Finally! We have arrived! I could die a happy girl if I had gotten a lap dance from Claire Redfield on MY eighteenth birthday… Are you guys ready for this? I know there are a lot of anti-Claire/K-Marts out there, but I just can't help giving those supporters a little something to brighten their days ;-)_


	17. Chapter 17

_Review Responses:_

_Moved these to the end this time guys. I didn't want to skimp on the replies, but they were starting to take up too much space._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

_A/N1: First off, I'd just like to thank everyone who has fave'd/followed/reviewed this story. I didn't expect it to turn into such project. This chapter is a bit longer than my previous chapters, so I apologize for adding in so much detail, but upon reading back through it, I couldn't part with any of the material. I hope it doesn't detract from the story too awfully much._

* * *

K-Mart's POV

Claire was acting weird. Not just in her normal emotionless Claire way either, she was acting weird even for her. She was being – _jumpy_. Claire was never jumpy, but tonight it seemed as if every move K-Mart was making had the convoy leader on her toes. So K-Mart sat on the bed reading. Completely still, save every time she had to turn the page in her book. K-Mart had covered the bed with the sleeping bags they had gotten at the outdoors store, because she thought it would be gross to use the sheets.

"Hey K," Claire called from the bathroom. "Come here for a second."

K-Mart sighed loudly. She didn't want to get up from her comfortable spot on the bed, but she set her book down and rolled off. She found Claire sitting on a towel-covered toilet lid. She had changed into a pair of shorts, and her legs were dangling over the rim of the bathtub and into a bucket.

"I was trying out this jet boiler thing. I figured you might like a hot sponge bath." She chuckled at the shocked look on K-Mart's face and rolled her eyes. "Not from me, silly girl. I thought you might like to give _yourself_ a hot sponge bath."

K-Mart felt the blood rush to her face. Of course that's what Claire had meant. "Oh – um – yeah, a bath would be nice, I guess." She tried to keep the disappointment from her voice. Claire's comment had excited her body in the few seconds before she had realized the older woman's connotation. She tried to calm her racing heart with slow, deep breaths. She frowned slightly and directed her eyes toward the floor so she wouldn't have to see the amused smirk on Claire's face.

Claire easily picked up on the girl's tone. "Or I guess I could give you a hot sponge bath, if that's what you'd prefer. It is your birthday in a few hours after all."

K-Mart's eyes widened.

"Come 'ere, K." The words were whispered. The redhead pulled out another towel from her pack. "Get undressed and wrap yourself in the towel. I'll be back in a second." She got up and went into the main room closing the door behind her.

K-Mart stood there in shock. She was about to be naked in front of Claire, with only a towel keeping the redhead's eyes from searching her body. She was about to have Claire's hands on her, soaping up her _naked_ skin. She pulled her shirt over her head and quickly unbuttoned her pants, pushing them down her legs and kicking them to the side. Her bra and panties followed shortly after and she wrapped the towel around her body tightly.

Claire knocked softly on the door, startling the girl. "You decent?" She entered without waiting for a response. K-Mart sat on the toilet lid, facing the redhead as Claire's eyes took in her towel-covered form. "Alright K, step on in; I scrubbed it really good earlier. Just, keep standing, it's still a motel bathtub, regardless." She motioned for K-Mart to get into the bathtub.

K-Mart stepped in, keeping her towel wrapped tightly around her as Claire took her previous spot. "Sit on the edge there, and lean over. I'll get your hair first. I should have thought to bring in that camp shower in, but I didn't." She took a cup and poured the warm water over K-Mart's head. K-Mart could feel Claire's fingers gently massaging her scalp as the warm water saturated her hair. Next, she could smell the scent of the shampoo as Claire began to wash her hair.

That outdoors store had been the best idea she had ever had. Claire's fingers continued to massage her head and K-Mart had to stifle the moan that wanted to escape. Claire washed her hair once more before wrapping a towel around the girl's head and drying her off as best as she could. "Alright K, I'm gonna get your back now."

K-Mart nodded. She was nervous, _really_ nervous. She sat there unmoving. "K-Mart, you have to take off the towel, or at least lower it around your waist."

K-Mart nodded again and took a deep breath. She pushed the towel down until it was around her waist. She immediately crossed her arms across her chest. She felt the warm water trailing down her back as Claire scrubbed at her neck and shoulders. She heard Claire pouring another bowl of hot water into the bucket and she felt the warm rag trailing up and down her back. But she could also feel Claire's fingers gently tracing across her skin, just barely off the edge of the rag. It was that particular feeling that made K-Mart drop her arms away from her chest.

Claire took K-Mart's hand in her own and washed it with the rag, before working her way up the arm. She did the same with the other arm. She handed K-Mart the rag. "I guess I'll leave you to the rest?" It was a question. Claire was giving her the option of whether or not she wanted to turn around.

She took the rag from Claire and the redhead stood to leave. "Wait! Don't go," K-Mart pleaded. "Let me just – " She quickly washed her chest and stomach, then stood, pulling the towel up around her and washing the areas hidden underneath. She dipped the rag into the bucket and handed it back to Claire. "You can still do my legs." She smiled at the redhead.

Claire rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh gee thanks," she joked with the girl. "Take all the good parts and leave me with the feet." She grinned at K-Mart before pulling her down to sit on the edge of the tub again. She took K-Marts foot in her hands, angling the girl's body so that she had better access. As she lifted K-Mart's leg her eyes darted to the place where the towel barely covered her. K-Mart caught that glance and it made her skin burn.

Claire quickly washed K-Mart's feet and legs, spending, what seemed to K-Mart like an excessively longer amount of time on her thighs. "How's the cut, K?"

K-Mart looked down to where the towel barely covered the gash. "Um, it's okay. Almost all healed up."

"Do you mind if I have a look?" Claire's face was passive. K-Mart couldn't tell if she was really concerned with the cut, or if she was just teasing mercilessly.

The blonde didn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded at the older woman.

Claire's fingers toyed with the edge of the towel. K-Mart gulped loudly and the older woman gave her a half-smile. She took the corner of the towel, pulled it down to cover K-Mart completely, and tucked it under the blonde's thigh. Then slowly she rolled up the edge until the cut was exposed. It was almost completely healed now, just a red scar of fresh skin, slightly raised. Claire ran her finger over the sensitive, new skin and K-Mart could feel the tingling in her stomach bloom outward like a mushroom cloud. Claire took the warm rag and cleaned the wound.

K-Mart closed her eyelids tightly and took deep breaths. She could feel the heat of Claire's fingers so close to her.

Finally the convoy leader dropped the rag into the bucket and pulled out a razor. "Do you want me to?"

"You got a razor?! When did you find that?" K-Mart had looked all over the place in Vegas and had never found any.

Claire chuckled. "It was in the hygiene section, but I probably got to all of them before you checked. There were only four left." She lifted a brow in question. "I take that as a yes?"

K-Mart nodded and propped her leg back on the edge of the bath. Claire took the soap and worked up a good lather, smoothing it over K-Mart's leg. She walked around and slid in behind K-Mart leaning over the girl's shoulder. "Easier this way," she whispered. "I don't want to cut you." She carefully pulled the razor upward. It made K-Mart shiver. Having Claire's chest pressed up against her back as the razor trailed upward toward her center, made the girl's breathing a bit erratic. As Claire shaved the fine, blonde hairs away from her thighs, K-Mart was certain that the redhead must have felt the heat coming from her.

Claire pulled K-Mart's arm up and wrapped it behind her neck. She took the soap and smoothed it over the fine blonde hair of K-Mart's underarm, causing the younger girl to giggle. The laughter stopped abruptly when Claire's fingers grazed the side of her breast. K-Mart threaded her fingers through red hair and gripped the back of the older woman's head as Claire brought the razor down her underarm.

K-Mart swallowed loudly and became very aware of Claire's body behind her as the redhead's nipples hardened into her shoulder blades. _Claire's not wearing a bra. _The thought made the younger girl tingle.

When Claire was finished, she handed K-Mart the razor. "Okay, I'm gonna let you finish. If you want to just, trim up anything else." She winked at the girl.

K-Mart stood there wide-eyed. She glanced down and back up. "You mean my – shave _there?_"

"If you want," Claire said casually. "I do." She closed the door behind her.

K-Mart dropped the towel and looked down at where the white-blonde curls covered her. She liked it. She'd never shaved there before and she almost giggled as she tried to picture herself hairless. Finally she decided just a trim would be okay.

When she was finished she went back to her spot on the bed and picked up her book. Claire was going through the packs that Alice had put together for them, making sure the older woman had included everything they would need should they get separated from the group.

* * *

It was just before midnight when Claire finally moved from the chair she'd kept warm for the last two hours. She disappeared into the bathroom, taking her night bag with her. K-Mart went back to her book. She loved Keats. He was one of her favorites. She could probably read his poems over and over until she had them memorized. One day she might do just that; she was already well on her way with _Ode to a Nightingale. _ _It would be just like Fahrenheit 451_, she thought amusedly.

When the door of the bathroom opened, K-Mart didn't even budge, but when she heard Claire dragging the chair into the middle of the room she looked up. What she saw made her brain go blank. She let the book fall from her fingers and onto the bed.

Claire Redfield. Black silk and lace. Claire Redfield. Skin on display for K-Mart's eyes to feast upon. Claire Redfield. Stockings and garter belt.

She may have melted into a puddle. She couldn't clearly remember, but when she came back to her senses, she was sitting in the chair, and Claire was standing in front of her. The older woman took out a CD player and speakers that she must have picked up in Vegas, because K-Mart had never seen them before.

The music was slow, and filled with a dramatic beat. It sounded vaguely familiar, but it wasn't the kind of music she had listened to, so she didn't know who it was.

_You, are my angel._

_Come from way above. To bring me love._

_Her eyes. She's from the dark side._

It didn't matter what the music was when Claire's hips started swaying to the beat. K-Mart's jaw dropped open when she realized what was happening. Claire was dancing. Claire Redfield was dancing…for her. She had seen Claire fight before, and she always thought the woman looked as if she were dancing. The fluid movements of her body had always made K-Mart think of the show her mother used to watch every Tuesday, something about celebrities and dancing. They always did the waltz, and when Claire fought, that's what popped up in K-Mart's mind. But she would have _never_ told Claire that.

K-Mart's blood was fire. Her stomach was a vat of lava. She felt like she could put a bottle of water between her legs and it would be boiling in seconds. She couldn't take her eyes off of Claire's hips as they swayed back and forth to the music, so when Claire's hand cupped her chin and lifted so that her eyes met the redhead's face, K-Mart shuddered at the contact, but she couldn't force herself to look at Claire's eyes.

Claire's fingers tangled in K-Mart's hair and she pulled her in for a kiss, deepening it almost instantly. K-Mart loved the way Claire's lips felt against her own. She loved the warmth and the taste of Claire's mouth. The fact that the redhead's fingernails were gently scratching at her scalp throughout the kiss was making K-Mart's brain go fuzzy.

When Claire pulled away from the kiss, K-Mart groaned with disappointment, until she felt Claire's thighs sliding along the outside of her legs and Claire's weight gently settling in her lap.

K-Mart gasped. The feeling of Claire's hips grinding against hers, in time with the music, was unbelievable. In fact, for a second she actually thought she might be dreaming, but Claire leaned forward and captured her lips once again and the thought flew out the window. As cliché as it sounded, if this was a dream, she didn't want to _ever_ wake up.

Claire's silk-covered breasts were pressed firmly against her chest now and K-Mart wanted to touch them so badly. She wanted her skin to be against Claire's skin.

The redhead must have sensed her need, because she reached out and began unbuttoning K-Mart's pajama shirt. At each button, Claire's fingers slipped behind the fabric of her shirt, the backs of her fingers trailing gently along K-Mart's chest and stomach. Finally, Claire pulled the shirt open and pushed it over the blonde's shoulders.

The convoy leader's lips went straight to the newly exposed skin of K-Mart's chest, teeth softly grazing against her collarbones. K-Mart sucked in a breath and her hips jerked, reminding her that Claire's hips were still grinding against her own.

K-Mart leaned forward and shrugged out of her shirt completely, tossing it onto the floor, leaving her in her pale blue bra. Claire smiled seductively, before leaning forward and whispering, "Happy birthday, Dahlia."

K-Mart was floored by the use of her real name, but even more so by the feeling of Claire's lips closing around her earlobe, teeth tugging at the sensitive skin. The younger girl groaned and her hips slammed upward into Claire's. There was that feeling again. That overwhelming feeling of pressure inside of her, like she was going to explode if Claire didn't move from her ear. Like every hair on her body was standing at attention. Like her skin had come alive. She tried to pull away from the older woman, but the back of the chair would only let her go so far. Claire's lips and teeth easily followed her and continued their assault.

K-Mart's entire body was ablaze. Her brain felt numb with the sensations that Claire was pushing through her. When she felt the redhead's tongue slip inside of her ear, warm breath spilling in as well, she moaned loudly and consciously ground her hips into the convoy leader's.

"Oh. God, Claire," she managed to choke out as Claire's lips started trailing down her neck. She was _soaked_. She could feel her own wetness. Her panties were clinging to her uncomfortably. She moved her hips again to try to ease some of the pressure, but ended up only making things worse, as Claire was grinding down at the same time.

Her hands rested on Claire's hips before she ran them up the older woman's spine. She got to the bra strap that she could easily unsnap, but her fingers slid past the strap and into Claire's hair.

She pulled the older woman in for another kiss. Another mind-altering, body numbing kiss.

Again, it was like Claire was reading her mind. During the kiss the redhead reached behind her back and unhooked her own bra. She brought K-Mart's hands to her shoulders and rested them on the loose straps. K-Mart's mind went blank and she pulled away from the kiss to look down at what her hands were doing.

She raked her eyes down Claire's neck, across her shoulders and chest. She took in the sight of the loose straps. The silk under her fingers was incredibly soft, but the skin beneath was even softer, and K-Mart marveled at how the redhead was able to keep her skin so soft in this harsh, desert environment.

She toyed with the straps for a few seconds, eyes drifting down to where the cups of the bra were sliding against Claire's breasts, revealing a little more each time the redhead took a breath. Finally K-Mart slipped her fingers under the straps and lowered them down Claire's smooth shoulders. Her eyes immediately locked onto the soft, pale skin that was revealed to her.

Claire's breasts weren't big. In fact, they were around the same size as K-Mart's. Probably, they were slightly bigger before the outbreak, when the woman was eating three square meals a day, but K-Mart didn't mind. She loved that Claire's breasts were small. She wanted to touch them, to take them in her hands and make the redhead gasp and moan. She wanted to lean down and kiss along the soft underside, where she knew that _she_ was most sensitive. She wondered if Claire was sensitive there as well. She wanted to close her lips around the dusky pink nipples until she could feel them harden against her tongue.

She didn't, in practice, know how any of this would feel to Claire, or to her for that fact, but she had felt it so many times in her own mind that she knew exactly how to react when Claire's fingers threaded in her hair and pulled her forward into a kiss.

K-Mart's hands had found their resting place on Claire's hips, but she slowly trailed them up the redhead's sides until they were cupping the soft mounds of flesh. Claire gasped sharply into the blonde's mouth as K-Mart's thumbs brushed across her nipples. The younger woman let the weight of Claire's breasts rest against the heels of her hands as she lifted them gently, breaking the kiss and lowering her head for better access. Claire moaned and K-Mart knew it was because her breath was fanning against the sensitive skin. She leaned in further, gently nuzzling the underside of the redhead's breast.

She could feel Claire's response in the more aggressive movement of her hips. Then the woman was twisting in her lap, turning until she was facing away from K-Mart. Disappointed, K-Mart reached around the redhead, cupping her breasts from behind and pulling her back until the older woman's back molded against her front.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Claire fussed at her. "Don't make me have to tie your hands behind your back." She turned her head only enough for K-Mart to see her profile, but the image, mixed with the connotation of Claire's words sent another wave of boiling lava through K-Mart's blood.

Claire took the blonde's hands and pulled them away from her chest, placing them on the edge of the seat of the chair and encouraging the younger girl to squeeze. "Hold on. You'll need that," Claire purred.

Slowly, Claire's hips started to gyrate. The firm muscles of her backside were pressing into K-Mart's hips, making the girl's pants rub against her already sensitive clit. K-Mart wanted to spread her thighs apart because the heat was almost too much, but Claire had a leg on either side of her, forcing her thighs to squeeze together, retaining the heat that just kept increasing minute by minute.

K-Mart whimpered when Claire raised her arms over her head so that she could wrap them around K-Mart's neck. The new position brought their bodies impossibly close. Claire's shoulder blades were pressing into the blonde's breasts, making K-Mart squirm. She could feel her nipples hardening beneath her bra. She wondered if the redhead could feel them through the fabric.

Suddenly, the contact on her chest was gone as Claire leaned forward. _Way _forward. The redhead leaned down until she was resting her hands on the floor and her whole_ world_ was on display for K-Mart, covered only by a thin black strip of lace.

K-Mart's mouth went completely dry. From this angle she could seethe contours of Claire's silk-covered – _what was she supposed to call it? _She swallowed. Every word that passed through her mind seemed either too vulgar to be used to describe Claire, or too proper to ever be used in real-life situations. But as Claire started to move like a wave was running through her body, K-Mart realized that the entire situation was pretty uncouth. She grinned to herself. _Never_ had she ever thought Claire was capable of acting so – so _licentious._

The situation wasn't enough to entirely keep K-Mart from noticing the fact that she could count the individual vertebrae in Claire's spine, or that the convoy leader's ribs were a bit more pronounced than they should have been. It saddened K-Mart to think about all the times she had seen Claire give up her own meal when they were running low on supplies.

When Claire's legs parted even further and she slid down to the floor on her hands and knees, backside still pointed at the young blonde, K-Mart forgot that line of thought. _Cunt._ She could see the wetness of Claire's cunt through the lace. She could see the curves and creases. She could see smooth, shaven skin where hair should have logically been growing.

Then Claire was turning around to face her, still on her knees. The convoy leader parted K-Mart's thighs and slid in between. Her breasts were incredibly soft against the blonde's stomach. As Claire rose, her body rolled against K-Mart's, her naked breasts pressed against the pale blue cotton of the younger girl's bra. "Claire," K-Mart whispered. "Take it off."

Claire met her eyes for the first time since her _show_ started. K-Mart saw the slightest hesitation behind the most prominent emotion – _love_ – Claire loved her – but then Claire was reaching around behind the blonde and unhooking her bra with well-practiced fingers.

As the cool air hit her exposed skin, her already stiff nipples hardened into rock-like points. Claire was drinking in the sight of her uncovered breasts. The look on the redhead's face almost made K-Mart want to cover herself back up. But she tightened her grip on the chair. Claire leaned forward, bare breasts pressing against K-Mart's. The blonde could feel Claire's stiff nipples pressing into her. Claire's lips went straight for K-Mart's ear again.

She whimpered, and then moaned. She shook her bra to the floor. She couldn't stop her hands from circling around Claire, fingernails digging into the redhead's back, dragging her even closer. Claire dipped her head, licking at K-Mart's collarbone before sinking lower and taking a small, pink nipple into her mouth.

As warm, moist lips closed around her nipple, K-Mart shuddered. She let out a noise that sounded a lot like a choked off scream and she arched her back pushing her breast further into Claire's mouth. If the redhead was surprised, she didn't show it as she sucked as much of the girl's small breast into her mouth that she could.

K-Mart's fingernails dragged down Claire's back. She was positive there would be dark red welts there tomorrow, but she couldn't help it. It was either that, or scream, and they weren't the only people in the motel.

Claire's tongue fluttered across her nipple and the older woman took the nub between her teeth, biting lightly. K-Mart jolted and her hands buried themselves in Claire's hair. Another bite, slightly harder this time. K-Mart's fingers twisted in the red hair, tugging lightly. One more bite, this last one hard enough to make the young blonde cry out. Her fingers pulled hard at Claire's hair, but the redhead didn't even wince. In fact, her eyes fluttered shut with what looked like pleasure.

K-Mart raised an eyebrow at the older woman. Now she had a theory that needed to be tested.

Claire teased the other nipple until K-Mart thought that her breasts would burst open from the pressure she felt. Claire was like a starving animal desperately trying to get milk. Finally, when she was almost positive her nipples couldn't take any more stimulation, the redhead released the hard nub. It slid from Claire's lips with a wet pop. The cold air instantly assaulted the sensitive flesh and K-Mart moaned loudly.

While she was overloaded with the sensations on her breasts, she felt Claire's hands toying with the tie-string of her pants. For a brief moment, she was terrified. It was illogical; this was what she had been yearning for, for the past few months at least, maybe even longer, subconsciously. But as Claire untied the string, pulling it loose, K-Mart almost wanted to scream. To run. She wanted to say _stop_! _Wait! Maybe I'm not ready for this! _

Claire's hand slipped inside of her pajama pants and cupped her through her panties. _I'm _definitely_ ready for this. _The thought chased the previous doubts away. She pushed her center into the older woman's hand and Claire smiled at her.

"God K, you could start a fire right now."

K-Mart would have blushed, but all of the blood in her body was rushing to her aching core. She could feel her pulse in her clit. She wondered if the redhead could feel it too. "Can you – do you feel that?" She asked nervously. She didn't know if talking was protocol, but Claire had started it, so she went with it.

"Feel what? The heat? Or the fact that you're getting the chair wet?" Claire smirked at her.

K-Mart looked down shyly.

Claire's free hand gently lifted her chin. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to embarrass you. It's a good thing K." She smiled. "A _very_ good thing."

The girl looked up through thick, blonde lashes. She knew she probably looked like she was pouting, but Claire's teasing comment had made her a bit self-conscious. "That's not what I meant. Can you – feel my heart beat. I can feel my heartbeat under your fingers. Is that normal?"

"K-Mart. Sweetheart. Sexy girl. It's perfectly normal," Claire said, still cupping the girl. "And yes," she whispered. "I can definitely feel that." She ran her fingertips along the damp cloth, carefully avoiding the spot K-Mart wanted her to touch the most.

The redhead took K-Mart's hand and brought it between her own legs. "See? Perfectly normal." She rolled her hips against the blonde's wandering fingers. K-Mart could definitely feel Claire pulsing against her fingertips. She smiled as Claire's hand cupped her more firmly.

The blonde canted her hips up into Claire's hand, but the older woman pulled her fingers away quickly. K-Mart groaned. "Claire, please."

Claire pulled her hand from K-Mart's pants. "I think these need to come off." Her voice was low, whispered, and the tone made K-Mart shiver. Claire tugged on the girl's pants, slowly pulling them down her slender legs. K-Mart hated the look of her own legs. They were pale and skinny, but Claire's lips were on them before the older woman had even gotten the pants completely off.

"God I've wanted to do this for a long time K. You have _great_ legs." She was kissing up K-Mart's calf and then she slipped her tongue into the bend of the blonde's knee.

It was almost as _bad? good? hot? torturous?_ as when Claire had been kissing her ear. Lava poured into her already overheated center. Without thinking K-Mart wrapped her free leg around Claire's back and pulled the redhead in closer.

Claire went with it, letting her tongue drag up the inside of K-Mart's thigh. The blonde shivered. She could feel Claire's hot breath on her _cunt._ She ground into the chair as Claire's lips closed around her, tonguing her through the already damp cotton.

Then everything went black…

* * *

_A/N2: Oh my God! She did NOT just end it right there! Oh right… I ended it. Well – ahem – I love to torture you guys? ::gulp:: Is it just me, or did K-Mart totally just pass out from Claire's tongue?_

_Review Responses:_

_PrincessLia – Haha, you should probably be a detective ;-) and…I imagine that EVERY NIGHT! LoL no really…I do… Though I don't know, there's only so many times you can take being told no and blown off and left hanging before it becomes too much. I think if Claire denies her this time, she'll start looking somewhere else. As always, thanks for the review :-)_

_Kungfu Kia – Nah, I really don't see K-Mart's first time as a threesome. It just wouldn't be right… she needs someone she trusts, and while she doesn't distrust Alice, she just met the woman, I feel like having her there would make K uncomfortable… Plus, being with one person your first time is overwhelming enough, try two and I'm sure K-Mart would explode. We can't have that ;-) I'm really glad you like where I've taken the story. Thanks for the review :-)_

_OnyxTemplar – Hahaha well who doesn't love a good cliché every now and then? But I wouldn't worry too much about that. Alice can definitely hold her own, plus, K-Mart has waited so long for this, interrupting her in the middle would just be mean. :-/ Though I would hate to disappoint you, I actually enjoy reading the scathing reviews almost as much as I enjoy reading the praise. It is not through praise that we become better writers, but through countless reviews telling us what we've done wrong. ;-) I'm nowhere near finished with this story anyway, so the next few chapters won't affect my ending, I promise ;-) Thanks for your review!_

_mickelus – Hahahahahah I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I had no plan to renege; my internal K-Mart had started whining too much and I felt like I had to give her something to shut her up. ;-) I do try to keep you guys on your toes as much as I can. I love reading a good story that keeps me waiting for the next chapter, so that's what I aim for when I write. Thanks for your review :-)_

_kluve – haha I found it on Hulu! Priceless! It's fun to see SL be the vixen I've had in my head while writing this story, though why that nerd turned her down is BEYOND me. I figured I needed to do something with the fact that Claire was a dancer. I mean, had I let it go it would've just been wasted potential ;-) I also wanted to take the family scene a little bit more in depth, but I figured I would save it for later, the chapter was already pretty long, but yes, I can imagine that you would run across that more often than anyone would be comfortable with. It's sad to think about. I wonder why no one has taken the whole zombie theme and turned it into a tragedy instead of a horror…it could very well work in both realms. I didn't pick up on Alice/Claire until Afterlife, and even then, not from the movies, but from the original script. From there, my love affair just bloomed ;-D Thank you so much for sticking with the story, your reviews mean a lot to me :-)_

_JamieS91 – Hahah, now don't get too excited over there, wouldn't want to have to hose you down ;-) Thanks for the review. I promise not to keep you waiting very long._

_poynton90 - :-D That's awesome! I'm glad I can still take you by surprise :-) Thanks for the review, I promise to deliver ;-)_

_samaramorgane – Hey hey, Special K needs some lovin too ;-) thanks for your review!_


	18. Chapter 18

_Review Responses:_

_mickelus – Keep in mind, it's the first time K's ever had someone's mouth on her…and she had been waiting soooooo long for it. And she was super sexually frustrated and turned on. It was really bound to happen. ;-) Thanks for the review!_

_kluve – I'm glad you liked the bath scene, I can't stress the importance of hygiene quite enough in a story like this. I get started on an intimate scene and I automatically think to myself… ew how long has it been since these two have showered. Must be the girl in me. ;-) I was listening to Massive Attack while I was writing the story; everything flowed so well, I just went with it :-) Thank you as always, you're comments more than make up for the angry PMs I get about having too much K-Mart in the story ;-)_

_OnyxTemplar – Right?! I would at least get a bit light-headed I'm sure. I can't even imagine what would happen to me had it been Alice…perhaps a heart attack or stroke? Or death by dehydration from all the bodily fluids I lost during the dance… O.o Thanks for the review :-)_

_Guest – I only repeat myself; Special K needs some loving too! You'll notice that I warned you that there would be Claire/K-Mart in the description of the story, but you're in luck only because there's not too much more K-Loving left in this story. If you can't stand the C-Mart/K-Malice, then I'd suggest skipping this chapter though, really no big loss to the story, or maybe just waiting for the sequel, I've already started writing it and so far, K-Mart hasn't made an appearance. The good thing about fan fiction is that if you're not into the fic, all you have to do is push the little "x" at the top corner of the screen and no one is any wiser. Sorry I turned you off with my K-love :-)_

_JamieS91 – Oh it's not over. Just read on my friend. ;-)_

_PrincessLia – Awww don't pout, there are so many other things you could be doing with your lips. Besides, I always deliver in the end; you should know that by now ;-)_

_Kungfu Kia – I did. I really did. :-D If passing out from Claire's hot breath and burning lips against her pussy is the worst part of her birthday then I think that she had one hell of a birthday ;-) I would consider that the best experience of my life hahah_

_poynton90 – Haha, yes, yes you are supposed to get hot under the skin. Be ready to take a cold shower after this one ;-) Thanks for the review!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Claire's POV

She couldn't believe K-Mart had actually blacked out. Sure, she'd heard about people passing out from sex before, but she hadn't even really done anything to the girl…yet. She figured K-Mart must have hyperventilated while she was working her way up the girl's legs.

The redhead had a wicked idea. She could finally live out her fantasy from the hummer a few weeks back. She'd always wanted – however subconsciously – to wake K-Mart up by slowly kissing and caressing her body. Here was her chance.

She had moved K-Mart to the bed after the girl passed out. She was unnerved by the fact that the blonde was so light. Skin and bones basically. But now the younger girl lay before her in only her underwear and Claire couldn't resist. She hovered over K-Mart and took a pink nipple into her mouth. She sucked it to attention and was amused that the girl's body reacted to her so quickly, even while she was unconscious.

When she was finished with the first, she kissed across K-Mart's chest to the unattended breast and gave it the same devotion. She reached up and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind K-Mart's ear and grinned. _Let's see if Alice was right, _she mused.

She moved back up the blonde's body and kissed K-Mart's lips while cupping the sleeping girl's sex with her hand. She could feel through the thin cloth that K-Mart was still damp, but she by no means was as wet as Claire wanted her. She latched onto K-Mart's ear and began teasing the sensitive spot. K-Mart whimpered, and even in her sleep, tried to turn her head away.

Claire sucked the soft lobe of the blonde's ear in between her teeth and nibbled lightly before licking up the shell and slipping her tongue into the canal. K-Mart flooded, dampening Claire's fingers even through the cloth. _Proven!_ She thought delightfully.

She scooted down in between K-Mart's legs, pulling them over her shoulders and pressing her mouth against the girl's thigh.

She slowly dragged the tip of her tongue up the bend of K-Mart's hip, just where it met her thigh. The girl was still out cold. She nibbled on K-Mart's thighs, letting her tongue push at the hem of her panties, slightly slipping under to tease, but never licking the girl directly.

The next time she looked up, wide eyes met her. K-Mart's pupils were so dilated her eyes were almost entirely black. Claire grinned into the girl's damp center and watched as K-Mart's eyes rolled back in her head at the feeling.

Claire nibbled at K-Mart's fleshy outer lips through the cloth, letting her tongue flutter out to prod ever so often. She lifted an eyebrow in question, and could see K-Mart's face go pale. "We don't have to do this K," she said softly. She moved back up until she was lying beside the blonde and pulled the girl into her arms. She was trying to be comforting, but she felt her nipples harden against the soft skin of K-Mart's back and she was positive that K-Mart could feel it too.

K-Mart turned in the circle of her arms and looked at the redhead with big, round eyes. "Can I maybe just – explore?" She asked the redhead, trailing a hand up to cup Claire's breast.

Claire moaned as the blonde's thumb brushed across her nipple. "Of course K, this is your night. We can do whatever you want."

K-Mart smiled as she leaned in for a kiss. "Good, because I've always wanted to do this," she whispered, leaning in and taking Claire's hard nipple into her mouth. The redhead could feel her nipple tightening even more. K-Mart's lips and tongue were sending a tingling sensation straight to her core.

The blonde cupped Claire's other breast in her hand, and lightly tugged at the nipple. Claire closed her eyes and couldn't help but think about how Alice's rough fingers had felt on her body just a couple of days ago. K-Mart's hands were warm and soft where Alice's had been calloused and her cool skin had teased at Claire's senses. She was brought back to the present when she felt the young blonde's teeth scraping against her hard nipple. Her moan was low and throaty. Her body was craving the rough treatment she had gotten from Alice. K-Mart's soft explorations were just a tease.

She put her hand over K-Mart's and squeezed her own breast roughly, moaning deeply again when the girl caught on. K-Mart pushed her onto her back and straddled her hips, releasing the redhead's nipple from the warmth of her mouth.

K-Mart groped roughly at Claire's breasts, tugging hard on the nipples, smiling knowingly when the redhead gasped and rolled her hips into the younger girl. The blonde squeezed her thighs around Claire's and pushed her hips downward into the older woman's.

The rough treatment of her breasts mixed with the heat from K-Mart's center was making Claire ache, but she wanted more. She wanted K-Mart to have more confidence, to be forceful. She wanted to be scratched. She wanted to be bruised and aching the next day. She wanted to be _bitten_. She wanted Alice…

When K-Mart leaned in for a kiss, Claire threaded her fingers through the girl's hair and pulled her in for a rough kiss. The blonde's eyes were wide when she pulled away and Claire remembered that this was her first time. The redhead smiled up at her. "Sorry K, I forget it's your first time. Your hands know me so well, it's hard to remember they've never actually done this before."

K-Mart looked down at her shyly. "It's okay Claire. I know what you want by your reactions. It just makes me feel weird – being so rough with you, I mean. How do I know if it's too much?"

Claire tried to mask the raw desire on her face when she thought of Alice's teeth sinking into her skin and the bruises on her hips from the older woman's fingers. "Trust me K-Mart, it won't be too much."

The young blonde nodded and rolled her hips forward into Claire. "Walk me through it?"

Claire grinned up at her, running her hands up K-Mart's back and trailing her nails down lightly. "If you're leaving marks, you're doing it right," she said teasingly.

She chuckled as K-Mart's eyes widened, but the girl curled her fingers and dragged her nails down Claire's sides painfully. The redhead moaned and jerked her hips upward. Her back arched as K-Mart ended her path, but the blonde's fingers hooked into the hem of her lacy panties and slowly pulled them, and the stockings, from her body. When Claire was finally nude, K-Mart stretched out over her body. She leaned in for a bruising kiss, sucking Claire's bottom lip between her teeth and biting down. When she tasted Claire's blood she winced and pulled away.

"Sorry Claire," she whispered, swallowing hard. Claire caught the girl licking her lips and realized that K-Mart wasn't turned off by the taste of her blood.

Claire licked her lips. "Mmmm, K-Mart. Come back," she moaned to let the girl know that it was okay. She grabbed the back of the blonde's head, pulling her in for another kiss. This time, she felt K-Mart seeking entrance into her mouth. She immediately met the blonde's tongue halfway, coaxing K-Mart further into her mouth. Then she closed her lips around the girl's tongue and sucked. She heard K-Mart gasp and felt the girl's hips roll forward so she pulled away grinning.

"Well well, someone enjoyed that." She chuckled at the look on K-Mart's face. She reached down and grabbed the backs of the girl's thighs, pulling them forward until K-Mart was straddling her hips once again. The redhead sat up, pulling K-Mart into her. She leaned in for a kiss, taking the blonde's hands in hers and bringing them to her breasts again.

K-Mart squeezed roughly, breaking the kiss and taking Claire's ear between her teeth. She bit lightly and trailed kisses down the convoy leader's neck, biting gently along the way before reaching the bite that Alice had left a couple of days ago. She bit down hard, nearly reopening the wound.

Claire moaned loudly. "God, K-Mart. I need you to touch me. Now."

K-Mart's hand left the redhead's breast and dragged down her stomach, leaving angry red marks along the way. She slid her hand between their bodies and into Claire's wetness.

The redhead could feel the girl coating her fingers before bringing them back up to rub Claire's clit roughly. All the while, K-Mart was gently lapping at the wound on her shoulder. It wasn't bleeding, but it was raw and K-Mart's tongue felt rough against the sensitive flesh.

Claire rolled her hips forward. "Inside me K. I need you to be inside me."

K-Mart's fingers slid across the redhead's folds until she was pushing two inside of Claire. The younger girl moaned at the feeling, and Claire couldn't help but smile. It seemed as if K-Mart was enjoying this as much as she was.

Claire tangled her fingers into blonde hair and tugged her head gently downward until K-Mart was sliding off of her lap and in between her legs. She leaned back against the bed. The girl looked terrified, but determined.

"I've never – I mean I guess that's obvious huh?" She mumbled, blushing lightly. "What if I'm no good?"

Claire could already feel her orgasm building. She was thrusting her hips continuously into K-Mart's hand. She smiled at the younger girl. "K-Mart, nothing you do can be wrong. It all feels amazing."

K-Mart nodded before leaning in and pressing her mouth against Claire's center.

K-Mart's tongue was fire. Claire jerked her hips forward into the girl's mouth, grabbing the back of her head and pulling her even closer. She could feel K-Mart smiling into her. The younger girl was licking at her gently and it felt amazing, but it wasn't enough.

Claire tightened her grip in K-Mart's blonde hair. "Harder K-Mart. Push your fingers in harder."

K-Mart propped herself up slightly to get better leverage and began to slam her fingers inside of Claire. The redhead groaned and spread her legs wider to help out. She cried out when she felt K-Mart add a third finger, never slowing down her relentless thrusts. The blonde sucked Claire's clit into her mouth and bit softly. Claire's climax tore through her body, setting every nerve on fire. It was powerful. She could feel her muscles flexing involuntarily before relaxing completely.

She continued to hold K-Mart's face against her for a few more moments before releasing the girl. The blonde looked up at her with wide eyes. "Claire, that was – I don't even know what to say. You're so beautiful."

The redhead smiled. K-Mart always warmed her heart. "Come 'ere K," she whispered, pulling the girl into her arms. "You know I love you right?"

K-Mart nodded into her neck before softly sucking on the skin above her collarbone.

Claire moaned again. "Can I touch you K?"

The younger girl pulled away, looking at Claire with an uncertain expression. Finally, she nodded, smiling at the older woman and lying back against the sleeping bag.

Claire hovered over her, kissing down the girl's chest, she sucked K-Mart's nipple into her mouth and gently toyed with it. She could feel the girl arching her back, so she sucked harder. K-Mart moaned and rolled her hips upward.

Claire reached for the waistband of K-Mart's panties, pulling away with a questioning look on her face. The blonde lifted her hips slightly in answer and Claire slowly pulled the last article of clothing down K-Mart's legs. She brought the damp cloth to her nose and inhaled deeply. She noted the girl's light blush. K-Mart definitely wasn't getting those back.

For the first time, she took in how the blonde had shaved everything except for the neatly trimmed patch of white-blonde curls that covered her mound. She settled between K-Mart's legs, breathing hot air on the girl's wet center.

K-Mart shuddered and lifted her hips again, seeking Claire's mouth.

The redhead grinned and leaned forward to give the girl what she was asking for.

She finally dipped her tongue into the warm, wet entrance, savoring the taste of K-Mart mixed with the scent of the soap she had washed the girl in earlier that night.

Claire continued to tease the girl, making light, playful strokes on her outer lips, carefully staying away from her clit. When the blonde's hips began to rock subtly, the redhead decided it was time to take things to the next level. Her lips closed around K-Mart's clit and she sucked it into her mouth.

"Oh! Oh fu – oh f-fu – huuuck. Fuck, Claire," K-Mart gasped. Claire grinned into the girl again. She'd never heard K-Mart say that word before. If it had been any other situation she may have reprimanded the girl, but here, now, it was the sexiest thing she had ever heard.

"Christ K-Mart," Claire whispered breathily. "Why does that word sound so sexy coming from you?"

The blonde grinned. "Because you don't expect it."

Claire figured K-Mart was right. It _was_ hot because it was unpredictable. Knowing that she had done something that made the girl feel good enough that she couldn't control what was coming out of her mouth, turned Claire on immeasurably. She wanted more. She released the blonde's clit and kissed up her hipbone and across her lower abdomen. Her hands slid up the younger girl's sides and around until she was cupping a soft breast in each palm.

She dipped her tongue into K-Mart's navel before dragging it up through the valley between the girl's breasts and up her neck. She nibbled K-Mart's ear before leaning in for a kiss.

K-Mart moaned into the kiss as Claire kneaded her breasts. "I'll go slow," she whispered into the girl's mouth as the fingers of her right hand trailed down to rest on her lower abdomen.

K-Mart's fingers tangled in her hair. Her eyes looked mildly panicked. "Is this going to – to hurt?"

Claire chuckled. "Well not if I do it correctly." She winked at the girl's confused face. "Right now I'm just going to make you feel really good K-Mart, and if later you still want me to – do that, then we can talk about it. Okay?"

K-Mart nodded and Claire knew the girl's lack of words was largely due to the fact that the redhead was slowly moving her fingers through the girl's white-blonde curls. "Are you ready?" K-Mart nodded quickly, but her eyes were wide and the girl looked terrified. Claire chuckled. "Are you sure?" Another nod. "Okay then."

Claire let her fingers tease the girl lightly. She reveled in the soft feeling of K-Mart's skin. She pushed her fingers into the silky folds, coating them with the blonde's wetness before bringing them back up to circle her clit. "Have you ever tasted yourself K?"

Wide brown eyes regarded her curiously. "W-what? No!" The blonde shook her head. "That's just weird."

Claire rolled her eyes slightly before bringing her fingers to her mouth and sucking them inside. K-Mart tasted amazing. She had definitely missed the taste of a woman. She pulled her fingers from her mouth and dipped them back into K-Mart's folds.

The girl shuddered at the feeling of Claire's wet fingers rubbing her.

"It's not weird K, it's completely amazing. You taste _so_ good." The redhead unconsciously licked her lips, craving another taste of the girl. She leaned down and kissed K-Mart, pushing her tongue deeply into the blonde's mouth until she was sure that K-Mart could taste herself. When the girl's tongue was desperately moving against her own, Claire knew that she'd been successful. "See?" She asked pulling away with a smirk.

K-Mart grinned at the older woman. "Maybe I just like kissing you." She pulled the redhead back into a kiss.

Claire's fingers started to move against the blonde's center once again. K-Mart's hips were rising against Claire's hand in a steady rhythm and the redhead slipped just the tip of her finger into K-Mart's entrance.

The blonde gasped and grabbed at Claire's forearm. "Wait," she whispered desperately. "You promise it won't hurt?"

Claire smiled at the girl's concern. She lifted her hand up to K-Mart. "See my fingers? They're long and slender, and right now I promise I'm only going to use one. It won't hurt K. It'll feel really good."

K-Mart nodded and let go of Claire's arm. The redhead watched K-Mart's face as she slowly pushed inside of the girl. She watched the blonde's eyes close slowly, and then snap open wide, only to close again. She felt K-Mart tighten around her finger and hold her breath. "Remember to breathe K-Mart. Relax. Just take in all of the sensations."

K-Mart released the breath she was holding and Claire felt the girl's body relax. "Good girl," she whispered. She began to move her finger in and out of the blonde, watching K-Mart's face intently for any sign of discomfort, but she noted the raised eyebrows, parted lips, and heaving chest. K-Mart was thoroughly enjoying herself.

The redhead leaned in and kissed K-Mart passionately. The younger girl returned the kiss with vigor, her tongue warring with Claire's as her passion escalated. Claire placed her thumb on K-Mart's clit and stroked it gently. K-Mart's hips jerked forward and her face contorted in pleasure. Claire felt the girl's inner walls gripping her finger and she smiled as she realized K-Mart was climaxing silently.

When K-Mart relaxed, Claire gently slid her finger from the girl's shuddering body, circling her wet clit one last time before bringing her fingers to K-Mart's mouth. "Open up K," she whispered.

The girl regarded her curiously for a few seconds before taking Claire's fingers in her mouth. When she tasted herself she began sucking and licking at the redhead's fingers. Claire grinned, slipping her fingers from K-Mart's lips and sucking them into her own mouth.

K-Mart's eyes widened slightly at the sight. "Claire that was…"

"Shhhh," the older woman whispered. "I know. Do you need to rest?"

K-Mart's chest was heaving as she tried to calm her body. "I – you mean we're not finished?"

Claire chuckled. "Not unless you want me to stop K."

K-Mart shook her head quickly and Claire couldn't help but laugh at the girl's enthusiasm. She quickly became serious before asking softly, "Do you want me to do what you asked me for your birthday? It may hurt a little bit K."

The blonde stared into Claire's eyes for a long while. Finally, she nodded slowly. "Yes. I want it to be you Claire. I want my first time to be with someone who loves me, even if it's a different kind of love."

Claire's eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean K-Mart?" She had an idea of what the girl meant. K-Mart was a smart girl, and she read Claire like an open book most times. So she wouldn't be surprised if K-Mart had picked up on her emotions toward the mysterious, new woman in their lives.

K-Mart smiled. "I know you care about me Claire, but you care about Alice in a different kind of way. The kind of way that makes you _want_ to be with her like this. I know you're only doing this because I asked you to, and I love you so much more because of it."

Claire shook her head at K-Mart's intuition. "K," she cooed. "I don't even know what I want most of the time. What I do know, is that right now, I _want_ to be here with you."

K-Mart smiled and pulled Claire in for a kiss. "Okay Claire Bear. I'm ready."

Claire almost rolled her eyes at the nickname, but figured the girl would take it the wrong way so instead she reached into the pack beside the bed and pulled out the harness and toy. The blonde's eyes got big and she searched Claire's face for answers. "What on Earth is that?"

Claire chuckled as she pulled on the harness and attached the shaft. Luckily Alice had picked out one of normal size. She situated herself in between K-Mart's legs and let the tip of the toy press against the girl's entrance. Then, she thought better, and detached the shaft. She reached down and slid the toy into her own slick entrance, pushing it in completely to make sure it was good and lubricated. She groaned at the full sensation it gave her and watched K-Mart's face fill with desire.

She then reattached the toy and pushed the tip to K-Mart again. "Are you ready K? This is going to hurt a little bit."

K-Mart swallowed hard, but nodded.

The redhead pushed her hips forward slowly and watched as the shaft disappeared into the girl's body. When she felt the barrier, she leaned down and pulled K-Mart into a passionate kiss, grabbing her breasts and squeezing roughly to distract her. She pulled away from the kiss and took K-Mart's ear between her teeth, nipping lightly before pushing her tongue inside. K-Mart's hips jerked forward as Claire pushed the toy past the barrier inside of her.

The girl's cry was followed by a whimper. Claire kept her hips utterly still as K-Mart adjusted to the feeling of having something so large inside of her. When she heard the girl release the breath she was holding, Claire slowly began to move her hips.

* * *

The two women were wrapped in each other until late in the night. Finally Claire rolled them over until K-Mart was on top of her straddling her hips. The girl gasped at the new sensation, and her eyes rolled back in her head as her body shuddered with another orgasm. Claire's hand gripped the blonde's hips tightly and she began to move K-Mart back and forth. "Claire I don't – I don't think I can do this again," she whispered breathily. "I'm exhausted."

Claire chuckled, but sighed. "Me too K. Me too." She sat up and scooted them both back until she was resting against the headboard. She pulled K-Mart forward into her body and wrapped her arms around the girl, kissing her damp temple gently.

K-Mart stared into Claire's eyes for a long while, searching her face. Finally she reached down to pull a blanket up around her. She pulled one of Claire's lacy stockings away from the blanket and looked at Claire curiously. "This is what Alice got in Vegas isn't it?"

Claire nodded, smiling a little to herself.

"Claire," she paused. "What's going on between us? I mean, you, me, and Alice? It's not normal, is it?"

Claire didn't honestly know how to answer that question. "I don't know K. Does it bother you? I mean that Alice is in our lives too?"

K-Mart shook her head. "No." She smiled at Claire. "I like it."

Claire chuckled at the girl. "Well I guess we'll just have to see where it goes then." She started to lift the blonde off of the toy, but K-Mart groaned and pushed back down onto the shaft, making her gasp again.

"Just let me stay here, Claire. Please?" She looked at Claire with wide eyes that amazingly still held the same innocence as they did the day prior.

"Alright K," she whispered, softly running her hand up and down the girl's slick back. "Sleep now, you know you're safe with me."

* * *

_A/N: OMG K-Mart's not a virgin anymore! If this were a horror movie she would totally die in the next chapter…_


	19. Chapter 19

_Review Responses:_

_JamieS91 – Hahahaha! Indeed. Thanks for the review! :-)_

_mickelus – Well, K-Mart is a character who is very special to my…heart. But the fact of the matter is, there's no 'easy' way out of the mess I've gotten us all into here ;-) But you're correct, I do in fact, have a plan! Never fear! Put your seatbelt on, we're not quite finished with K-Mart yet._

_OnyxTemplar – Hey I'm not 'that' evil…I'm far worse. Far worse. Why kill someone off when you can devastate them completely and spend the remaining chapters trying to piece them back into some semblance of a human being? It's much more fun that way. Thanks for delving into the dark inner workings of my mind though ;-) Don't get lost…_

_PrincessLia – Oh start your petty wars! I will fade into the shadows and watch you destroy yourselves…uh…I mean…no wait…stop! :-D I'm glad that you can feel the connection between them. It's very important to me to write believable characters. And as for the sex. I mean, having sex is fun, reading it should be fun too, am I right?_

_poynton90 – Thank you so much for your review. I try to keep the love in the story so it doesn't revolve all around the sex ya know? These two have been through so much together that their relationship is so complex. It's tough to not just write Alice out completely ;-)_

_DalekSek-kmz – Haha, not a warning. Just my attempt at humor ;-) Thanks for your review! I'm glad you're patiently waiting for Alice/Claire to bloom._

_Kungfu Kia – I feel very honored that my story ranks so high on your list! Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the next few chapters :-)_

_kluve – I was hoping you would enjoy this chapter ;-) I never thought someone would actually need to take a breather, but it makes me feel like an awesome writer, so thank you! I'm so glad I could make your weekend better! That's the best thing anyone can say to me, that my story has actually affected their real life situation. It means a lot to me. Thank you so much for you review!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

Alice circled the perimeter for the forty-seventh time since she had left Claire and K-Mart in the motel room. She was trying to keep her mind off of what was going on in that room at the moment. It was hard, because she knew that if she trained her ears enough she would be able to hear the two women in their room. But she gave them their privacy and continued to patrol.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned to find Carlos. She smiled at her friend. "Couldn't sleep?"

Carlos shook his head bewilderedly. "As if anyone could sleep with the racket coming from Claire and K-Mart's room." He looked at Alice. "I'm guessing you had something to do with that?"

Alice grinned sheepishly. "I just gave Claire a little nudge is all. Carlos, I trust you won't say anything, I mean, to the others."

The dark-haired man smiled. "I value my life Alice, Claire would murder me if word got out." He winked at the woman.

Alice smiled. Then her eyebrows furrowed. "Why didn't you tell me, about Jill and Angie?"

The man shook his head. "I was going to, but – I didn't want to dredge up old ghosts, Alice. The more I thought about why you left, the more the realization hit me. You thought they'd take control again, you thought they'd make you finished the job with Angie."

Alice nodded. "I couldn't risk it. And – I figured you all hated me after that. I couldn't face Jill."

Carlos sent the woman a sad smile. "No one hated you, Alice. Not even Angie. She was terrified, but we all knew that it wasn't you. That you weren't in control. We missed you. We tried to find you a lot of different times, but you're one tough gal to track down." He grinned.

Alice looked back toward the horizon. The sun was starting to rise.

The night had been quiet for the most part. She had thought she'd gotten a whiff of infected blood earlier, but she had stood there inhaling deeply for about ten minutes and had never detected anything further. That had been four hours ago.

Now, something had her hackles raised. She could feel the chill run up her spine and into the base of her brain. Something wasn't right. Her body was registering the danger, but she couldn't see it. She couldn't smell it. She squinted into the night and turned in a circle, scanning the horizon. Nothing. There was nothing there. Then why were her senses tingling?

Then she heard it, far in the distance, the engines of helicopters. Normally she would have at least waited to get a glimpse to see if they may be friendly, but the way her body was reacting, she was certain that it was trouble.

She turned to Carlos. "I hear engines. It's Umbrella, I know it. Get everyone to the vehicles!" She and Carlos ran back toward the motel. "Up! Everybody up!" she called. "Get to your vehicles. Let's get on the road!" She busted into the room where Claire and K-Mart were and stopped dead in her tracks, her train of thought lost for the moment.

The redhead was propped against the headboard, her head lolling to the side, sound asleep. K-Mart was in her lap, facing her, straddling her hips. The younger woman was molded to the front of the convoy leader, face tucked into the crook of her neck. Sound asleep. Both women were, to Alice's torture, still in a state of undress.

Alice smiled at the scene before she remembered why she had barged in. "Claire! K-Mart! Get up! We have to get out of here!"

Claire's eyes snapped open. It took her a few seconds of confusion before she realized where she was and who was talking to her. "Claire, now! We don't have much time!" Alice was gathering up the items in the room and stuffing them into bags. She threw random articles of clothing onto the bed at the two women. She looked back to see Claire shaking K-Mart awake.

The blonde jolted awake and immediately moaned. Alice was deeply confused until she noticed the harness circling the redhead's waist. The toy was still inside of K-Mart.

Alice's eyes fluttered closed for half of a second before she charged forward and grabbed K-Mart by the shoulders. K-Mart cried out in pain as the toy chaffed against her. Alice leaned forward and latched onto the girl's ear. Circling her arms around and roughly groping the girl's small breasts. She let her tongue flutter against the soft lobe, forcing hot, wet air into the blonde's ear. When she could smell K-Mart's arousal, she lifted the girl straight into the air and heard the wet sucking noise of the toy leaving her body. K-Mart cried out. The whole scene would have been insanely erotic had she not been in a state of sheer panic. "Get dressed! Now!"

"Alice what the fuck is going on?" The redhead asked hotly.

"Something is coming. A lot of somethings. Fast. I hear helicopters, and my blood is telling me that we don't want to find out what is in them." The older woman was still shoving things in bags at random. Claire jumped out of bed and began pulling clothes on. She threw K-Mart's pants at her and then helped Alice pack the rest of the room.

When they were dressed and packed they ran toward the door. Most of the convoy was already in their vehicles ready to go. They were just reaching the hummer when the first osprey appeared. Within a few seconds, four of the giant birds filled the sky around the motel.

They hovered in the air and Alice could see the Umbrella logos on the side. She saw the cargo doors opening and new that they were in for trouble. Each osprey dropped three large container boxes to the ground, on each side of the convoy.

Infected creatures poured out of the boxes like agitated bees from their hive. Alice knew they were in trouble when she saw the creatures sprint toward the vehicles, large tentacles protruding from their mouths. "Get in the hummer," she shouted at the women.

She saw Claire shoving K-Mart into the hummer before grabbing the Mossberg from under the seat. Alice shook her head at the younger woman's stubbornness, but she pulled her shotguns and started firing into the creatures. She could vaguely hear others firing at the mob of infected and wondered how many people were in the open, risking their lives.

She spotted Chase on top of the tanker with his rifle, and heard Carlos shouting orders. Even the nurse was in the mix, twin Golden Desert Eagles in her hands. Alice saw a young man get overrun by infected, his blood staining the sand beneath him. She fired shots into the group until all of the creatures were dead. She turned to see two more men taken down. All around her were the screams of people falling prey to the creatures. She closed her eyes and focused. She sent out a massive psionic blast toward the line of advancing infected. The mob lurched backward, limbs tearing from bodies. Still the horde was advancing.

Alice heard Claire cry out and turned to find her sprinting toward the hummer where one creature had pulled the metal grating from the window, broken the glass and was half inside trying to get to K-Mart. Alice watched as Claire grabbed the creature's legs, ripping him from the window. She cried out as the jagged edge of glass sliced into her arm, but continued ripping the infected from the window before putting a bullet in his head. She then turned to stand guard of the hummer.

Alice fired another blast into the horde, taking out twice as many creatures as the last one. She continued with the blasts until she was seeing the edges of her vision darken. Only a few infected were standing so she turned her attention on the ospreys. She took hold of one the helos with her mind and pulled against its engines. She didn't have much strength left but she forced herself to concentrate. Finally she sent the bird crashing to the ground in a fiery explosion.

The other pilots must have felt outmatched, because the last thing she saw before the darkness took her, were the helicopters retreating.

* * *

When she woke, she was lying in the back seat of the hummer. They had pulled over on the side of the road and K-Mart was wrapping the redhead's arm with clean white gauze.

Claire's face was a hard mask, and Alice knew why. Claire was terrified that she was infected. Alice would have to set her mind at ease soon. She tried to sit up and was taken by an overwhelming dizziness that swam into her head. She fell back to the seat unconscious.

She woke again to a growling sound and realized that it was her own stomach. She was in the hummer alone. They must have set up camp while she was out. She sat up slowly this time, and while still a bit dizzy, she was able to exit the hummer and walk toward the campfire. She noticed K-Mart by the fire and wondered where the redhead was. She lowered herself next to the younger girl startling the blonde from her trance.

"Hey Alice," K-Mart said softly. "I'm glad you're awake. You always worry me when you're out for so long."

Alice cringed. "How long this time?"

"Only about four hours. Nowhere near as long as last time, but still. You don't move. It's creepy." She grinned at Alice before her face saddened again. "Alice, Claire she – she walked off a little while ago. She hasn't come back yet. I think – well I think she – she may think she's – "

"Infected." The older woman finished for K-Mart.

The girl nodded.

"Which way did she go?"

K-Mart pointed east, toward the partially risen sun. "It's all my fault Alice. If she hadn't been trying to save me, she would be fine. Why won't she just give me a gun and let me handle myself?"

Alice pulled the younger girl into her arms, gently kissing the top of her head. "K-Mart, it's not your fault. And don't be so pessimistic, just because someone is cut, doesn't mean they're infected, remember?" She ruffled K-Mart's hair and gave the girl a grin. She hoped it looked genuine enough to pass.

K-Mart smiled weakly in return. "Yeah. I guess. I hope you're right Alice."

"Me too K." Alice walked in the direction K-Mart had pointed out, inhaling deeply, trying to catch the woman's scent. After a few moments she got Claire's trail and hurried off in the direction.

She found the woman sitting on a rock, tossing small stones at the dried up carcass of a cactus. Alice approached her slowly.

"I see you found me," the redhead said. Her voice was raw as if she had been screaming, or crying. Perhaps both, Alice thought sadly.

Alice dropped down beside the younger woman. "Claire, do you want me to?" She asked nodding toward the redhead's gauze covered arm.

Claire followed Alice's gaze, lifting her arm. "You don't have to Alice. I already know. My skin is almost as cold as yours now." She lifted her hand and cupped the side of the older woman's face.

Alice could tell the convoy leader was right when she felt Claire's cool skin, but she inhaled very subtly in order to verify. Infection.

She shut her eyes tightly. Willing it not to be true, but when she opened them again, Claire's blue eyes were filled with unshed tears.

Claire brushed her thumb across Alice's lips. Her usual burning touch felt almost cold to the older woman now. Alice leaned in and captured the redhead's lips. She tried to push all of the emotions she felt for the younger woman into that kiss. All of the feelings she didn't have words to define. It had never been her strong point.

Claire's arms circled her neck and she pulled Alice in closer, deepening the kiss. Alice could feel Claire's tears tickling the edges of her lips and she tasted the salt when their mouths parted. "Alice," the redhead whispered. "Make love to me while I can still appreciate it."

Alice squeezed her eyelids tightly shut and swallowed against the painful lump in her throat. Her eyes were burning in a way that was quite different from when she used her abilities. How long had it been since she last cried? She couldn't even remember. When Rain had turned she had been in too much shock to really process it, but she hadn't cried. When Umbrella had taken Matt, she had screamed until her voice was raw, but she hadn't cried. When she left Carlos, and Jill, and Angie in Detroit, the pain had consumed her until she felt her chest was caving in, still, she hadn't cried.

She felt a tear slip from the corner of her eye, but she kissed Claire passionately while taking off her duster and laying it on the sand. She pulled the redhead down on top of her, deepening the kiss and fumbling with Claire's belt. She hadn't been with someone outside of her blood lust in years. It was awkward, the feeling of her own hands gently touching the younger woman instead of roughly groping and clawing, but she knew that no matter how much the redhead may enjoy the rough treatment, right now she needed to be comforted. She needed to be consoled. She needed to be loved, and even though Alice wasn't sure if she could give Claire what she needed, she was going to try her hardest.

She slowly undressed the younger woman and pushed her down until Claire was on her back. Alice hovered over the convoy leader before letting her body settle on top of the woman. She kissed Claire gently as her fingers trailed up the younger woman's thigh. The sight of Claire gasping in between quiet sobs broke Alice's heart, but she continued to make love to the redhead until she was shuddering with her climax.

She pulled Claire into her arms and held her as she continued her soft sobbing. "Claire," she whispered. "We need to get to that Umbrella facility if we want to find the antivirus in time."

Claire's head jerked around to look at her. "There's an antivirus?"

Alice nodded, and smiled softly at the renewed hope in the convoy leader's eyes. "Come on Claire, did you really think I was going to let you go after I just found you again?" She kissed the redhead and pulled her to her feet.

Once Claire was dressed, they made their way back to the convoy.

* * *

_A/N: OMFG! They better get to that Umbrella facility on time or this is going to turn into a K-Malice fic soon :-/ You'd like that wouldn't you kluve?_


	20. Chapter 20

_Review Responses:_

_At the end again this time guys. Thank you all so much for taking the time to review :-)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

K-Mart's POV

She had remained in the same spot worried out of her mind until she saw Claire and Alice enter the camp. She sprinted toward them and launched herself into Claire's arms. "I'm so sorry Claire. I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

Claire brushed her fingers through K-Mart's blonde hair. "Hey now, there's no need for this." She softly wiped the tears from K-Mart's cheeks and the blonde could feel the change in temperature of her skin. Claire's fingers almost felt as cold as Alice's now. It made the small bit of resolve she had built up break apart and she began sobbing in earnest.

Claire pulled her over to the hummer and crawled inside. She cradled K-Mart in her arms as the girl cried.

"I can't lose you Claire. How will I live without you?" The blonde sniffled.

Claire pulled her away to look into her eyes. "K-Mart, you are a strong, independent, beautiful _woman_. You are going to be fine. Alice will take care of you. She will teach you everything you need to know about protecting yourself. Listen to her like you listen to me. Promise?"

K-Mart nodded, sobbing harder and pulling Claire in for a fierce kiss. The thought of losing Claire felt like something gnawing inside of her chest. The butterflies she usually felt in the older woman's arms had turned into a nest of writhing snakes. The feeling was quickly threatening to make her sick. She felt a wave of nausea sweep over her and she opened the door of the hummer to dry heave. There was nothing in her stomach to come up.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "The thought of losing you makes me sick Claire." She put her hand on her chest. "It hurts so bad, like something is chewing away at my heart."

Claire pulled K-Mart back into her arms and tucked the girl's head under her chin. "Shhhhhh, K. Everything is going to be fine." She gently rubbed circles on K-Mart's back until the blonde could feel her body calming.

"I want you to listen to me K-Mart. We're going to pack up everything and you guys are going to take off for Alaska. You're going to stay with Carlos. You're going to be at Carlos's side like a conjoined twin, you got it? Alice will catch up with you guys after she's finished with the Umbrella facility."

K-Mart's face fell. She finally realized what Claire was trying to tell her. "You're not coming?" She could hear the desperation in her own voice. The tears were burning her eyes threatening to spill over again. She shook her head back and forth trying to wake herself up from the nightmare that her dream had turned into. She finally had Claire, and now the older woman was being ripped away again. For good this time.

Pain was all she felt. Empty, dark, indescribable, terrifying pain. It consumed her mind and body. Her muscles were straining against her skin trying in vain to lessen the pain inside of her. _Is this what it feels like when your heart is breaking?_ she thought to herself bitterly.

Claire shook her head in confirmation. "I'm going with Alice to the Umbrella facility K. We're going to take those bastards out."

K-Mart nodded. She could feel her bottom lip quivering and she tried to stop it. She tried to be the strong woman Claire said she was, but she felt more like the helpless fourteen-year-old girl that the redhead had found years ago. She felt weak. She felt worthless. She felt empty and scared. But she nodded again and took a deep breath.

Memories of the first time she ever saw the convoy leader flooded her mind. Claire had been an angel sent down to protect her. The redhead had been so young then. Full of life. Nineteen going on forty.

* * *

_She had been fourteen when Claire found her. Dehydrated and emaciated in the women's restroom at a K-Mart store outside of Raccoon City. _

_Too scared to even leave the restroom to look for food. She hadn't eaten for almost a week. Drinking water from the only working sink, she'd managed to stay alive._

_She was starting to give up hope when she heard voices outside the door. She knew what would come next. She'd heard it almost every day she'd been here. Those _things _would soon attack the people. She'd listen to their screams from inside her tile fortress. Then she'd slowly waste away hour by hour. _

_She wasn't ignorant. She knew she was going to die. _

_She was curled up in the corner when the door to the restroom slammed open. Instinct told her to run, to hide, but she was too weak to even stand. She lifted her eyes to see the creature that would take her away from this Hell. But what she found instead, was her guardian angel. _

"_Are you hurt?" the redhead had asked softly. _

_The blonde shook her head, but her hands went to her stomach instinctually. _

_The redhead sighed. "You're starving to death, huh?"_

_Again the blonde nodded, not really wanting this woman's pity, but oddly comforted by the fact that she cared enough to ask. _

_When the woman leaned forward and picked her up like she was a rag doll she had tried to struggle. "Shhhhh, I'm not going to hurt you. Come on, let's get you something to eat." The redhead smiled at her. "I'm Claire, by the way. Claire Redfield."_

"_D-dahlia," she stammered. "But I hate it."_

_Claire chuckled. "Well then it's your lucky day kiddo, because they're letting people change their names left and right these days. No paperwork necessary." She winked. _

_Despite herself, the girl laughed weakly. "How about K-Mart?"_

_Claire shot her a questioning look. "Your decision kiddo."_

* * *

She shook the memory as they packed up camp and got the convoy prepared to leave.

K-Mart was still crying softly when they were ready to get on the road. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Mikey. The young man's face was filled with sympathy for her pain, and a sadness all of his own. He loved Claire too, maybe just as much as she did, but he would never get to know Claire the way she did now. He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair gently until she was sobbing into his t-shirt.

"Let's get you to Carlos," he said softly, but K-Mart pulled away.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head. "I'm not going with Carlos. I'm not going to Alaska. I'll come with Alice."

Mikey started to argue, but she shot him a look that said her decision couldn't be swayed. He pulled her into another hug, softly stroking her back. "I don't want to lose you too K-Mart. Please, be careful."

She nodded once and turned to find Claire.

She found Claire kicking sand over the fire. Carlos was approaching the convoy leader and he pulled her into a rib-crushing embrace. K-Mart could see the turmoil in the older man's dark eyes. "Claire," he whispered. "I know all this time you've thought that I just wanted to get you into the back of my truck, but I –"

"Carlos don't," the redhead interrupted. "Please don't. You've taught me so much, and I'll never forget it. You'll be with me until the very last moment. But we both know that it ends there. Don't make it something it isn't."

The man nodded, kissing Claire on the forehead and releasing her. "Okay boss lady."

Claire laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes.

She spotted K-Mart then and turned back to Carlos. "You better take care of that girl Carlos. She has a very special place in my heart."

K-Mart could see the love in Claire's eyes, and she knew that that look would spark all kinds of questions in the older man. She caught Carlos's odd glance, then his knowing smirk. _Great,_ she thought. It had already started.

Alice approached and looked at Claire sadly. She pulled Carlos in for a short hug. "Take care, Carlos. I'll see you soon." Then she wrapped her arms around K-Mart and pulled her in tightly.

It felt good to be wrapped up in Alice's cool, strong arms. K-Mart didn't want to let her go. She looked up at Alice with tears in her eyes, and the older woman leaned down to press a kiss against K-Mart's cheek. The blonde could feel Alice's chapped lips brushing her skin and she couldn't help but think of that night in the hummer when she had brought Claire and Alice together for a kiss. A small shiver ran through her body, but sadness was still the most overwhelming emotion. She'd lost Claire that night. She'd watched as the redhead let down her walls for the mysterious stranger. She knew then, that Claire's heart was going to belong to this woman. Some day. And now that day would never come…

Claire pulled K-Mart in for a hug. She could feel the silent sobs racking the convoy leader's body. "I love you K. Don't ever forget that." K-Mart nodded, fresh tears in her eyes.

The redhead turned to follow Alice to the hummer. K-Mart trailed along until Carlos caught her from behind. "K, where are you going?" His voice was hard and his hand was brushing against the bottom of her breasts. It felt so wrong.

She knew he hadn't meant to grab her like that, but it made her angry and she pushed his arms away. "Don't touch me," she spat harshly. "I'm not coming with you." Then she began to chase after Claire and Alice.

When the redhead realized K-Mart was trailing them, she turned to the girl. "What are you doing K?"

K-Mart clenched her jaw and squared her shoulders. "If you thought for one second, that I was going to leave your side, then you don't know me at all Claire." She left Claire standing with her mouth slightly ajar as she made her way to the hummer. She crawled into the passenger seat beside Alice so that Claire could have the back to lie down in.

If Alice was surprised by her presence in the hummer, the older woman didn't let it show. She merely nodded a greeting to K-Mart and turned to the redhead when she climbed in the back.

"This is going to be _really_ dangerous. Are you sure you're up for it." Alice's face was passive, but K-Mart could hear the concern in her voice.

Claire huffed out a breath. "Alice, stop trying to baby me and just accept the fact that I'm stubborn."

Alice grinned. "Okay Red, let's go then."

* * *

The drive to the Umbrella facility went smoothly enough. When they were within visual distance however, they realized exactly what kind of task they would be undertaking. Surrounding the fenced in building were swarms of infected. There were so many bodies that K-Mart could barely even make out the small building itself.

"Guys, shit just got real," the redhead deadpanned from the back seat. "Do you think we can plow through them?"

Alice apparently didn't like the odds. "K-Mart can you drive? If I don't have to concentrate on driving I can blast them out of the way."

K-Mart was terrified but kept her face passive. She nodded at the older woman and slid into the driver's seat when Alice got out. "I got this."

Alice grinned at her. "I know you do Special K. I trust you with my life."

The words hit K-Mart right in the chest and spread outward, filling some of the emptiness that had consumed her. She knew that Alice would take care of her. She cared about the older woman deeply, even in the short time that she had known her, but no one would ever be able to fill Claire's place in her life.

"Just keep driving toward that building K, don't slow down until I say. No matter what." Alice walked around and opened the back hatch of the hummer and pulled out the window grating that the creature had ripped off earlier. She held it up to Claire's broken window and K-Mart watched in awe as the woman's eyebrows pulled inward and she focused all of her energy on melting the metal down, basically welding it in place. Once the grating was secured, she got back in the hummer.

K-Mart shook her head. "You just get more and more amazing every day." She smiled at Alice.

"I keep getting powers that I didn't have before," Alice confessed. "I have a theory, but – well – we'll talk about it later."

K-Mart nodded. She wanted to lean over and press her lips against the older woman's, but instead, she put the hummer into gear and drove toward the horde.

As she drew closer to the line of infected bodies, she began to worry. They were quickly getting closer and closer and Alice was just calmly sitting in the passenger seat. When she was about twenty yards from the first of the crowd, the hummer shook with the force of the blast that Alice sent into the mass. Bodies parted and K-Mart couldn't help but think about the story of Moses and the Red Sea. She pushed the pedal harder and the hummer tore through the crowd. Blast after blast cleared the path for her. She never once let off the speed of the hummer. Finally, she was tearing through the chain link fence that surrounded the building.

Alice was out of the hummer in a heartbeat. K-Mart watched the woman form what must have been an invisible shield in the hole that they had created in the fence. The older woman pulled the fence pieces back together and melted them back in place.

With the infected kept at bay, the three women made their way to the building. Alice stopped short and turned toward a trench that ran alongside the small shack. She walked toward the edge and staggered. K-Mart ran to her side. When she saw what was in the ditch she felt sick. It was Alice. Lots of Alices. They all looked identical, and they were all dead. Split open and bleeding in one horrible way or another.

Alice stood there with her jaw hanging open, a deeply disturbed look on her face.

K-Mart watched as Alice's face contorted into a mask of pure anger. "Let's go," the older woman growled.

The blonde followed her into the shack where Claire was waiting for them. Alice walked forward toward a small table and the floor began to open up. K-Mart jumped back, but Alice turned. "It's just an elevator." She walked onto the platform and motioned for them to follow.

K-Mart followed Alice and Claire onto the platform and Alice pushed the button to make it descend. K-Mart couldn't imagine that they would just be able to waltz right into an Umbrella facility without being spotted and stopped, but Alice didn't seem nervous, so she took that as a good sign.

"Do they know we're here?" she asked the older woman. Alice nodded. "They have an extremely high-tech computer system, fully equipped with an artificial intelligence called the Red Queen. She no doubt knows we're here. I'm sure we'll be met at the front door with a welcoming party."

K-Mart gulped. "That doesn't make you the least bit nervous?"

Alice shook her head. "They're just people, K-Mart. They're not like me, and they don't know what they're dealing with." She pulled K-Mart behind her, and then reached for Claire. "Just keep behind me, no matter what."

When the elevator reached the bottom, in that split second before the doors opened, everything was silent. K-Mart could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. She was terrified.

The doors slid open, to a darkened office room. Alice stepped out, followed by the two younger women.

The room was empty.

Suddenly there was a flash of white off to the left side. All three women spun around to meet their enemy.

* * *

_A/N: ::cue dark, ominous music:: OMG! It's a monster! Everybody run up the stairs and jump out of the second story window, inevitably twisting their ankles and not being able to escape the monster even though they're running and the monster is slowly walking! … Too much?_

_Review Responses: _

_PrincessLia – Haha, you never know what I'll do. Maybe I just got tired of writing about Claire and decided that K-Mart and Alice had a more natural relationship ;-) Read on, Your Majesty, and as always, thanks for reviewing :-)_

_Antonia23 – Thank you so much for your review. We shall see, we shall see. They're definitely going to have to think of something quick because that virus has already been inside of Claire for a while!_

_poynton90 – Now I think you already know the answer to that. I'm like the queen of cliffhangers ;-) Thanks for keeping up with the story!_

_kluve – Hehehe, yes I meant Alice, but it's good to know that the point got across! And thanks so much for your appreciation of my action sequences. I like to know people are reading the story for more than just the sex scenes :-) I agree with you whole-heartedly. I think that Claire and K-Mart's relationship is much more believable. I feel like K-Mart needs someone who is emotionally available, and I don't see Alice as the type to really fall in love easily (or at all). Though I do enjoy writing the Alice/K-Mart scenes if only because I get to let out my inner temptress. :-D_

_OnyxTemplar – I did. I really did. But let's be honest, you knew something like that was coming anyway, so I bet you prepared for it ;-) Plus, if you do a search for "Zombie Ali Larter" some people have made her look relatively good for a decaying corpse ;-) Your review wasn't nearly as scathing as I expected it to be ;-)_

_mickelus – I do indeed have more surprises in store for you guys! Claire is a survivor, so she really can't ever be counted out. Even if I end up leaving her in the middle of the desert at the end of this story with the virus still pumping through her, I bet she'd find some way to keep living lol_

_DalekSec-kmz – Well anticipate no longer! We have finally arrived at the Umbrella facility, but will it be in time?_

_SilverCrusader – They're here! Now they just have to find that damn antivirus in time! And I mean…it IS an Umbrella facility, so you know there are going to be a few surprises. I hope you guys can recognize some of the next few chapters as following along the lines of the RE games a lot more than the movies. I put a bit of research into the last few chapters. Let me know what you think! As for Alice showing her dominance, that smile was really intended to tease poor K mercilessly. Kind of like a "look what you could have if you just grew the balls" type thing. ;-) Thanks for your interest in the story, and your review! _

_JamieS91 – Oh come now. You think I'll really off Claire? I mean, do you? Maybe I will. Maybe I will…. Hmmm. Decisions. Decisions._


	21. Chapter 21

_Review Responses:_

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

"Oh great," Alice groaned. The hologram for the AI had caught her off guard. Plus the fact that this facility seemed rather empty and non-functional, didn't sit well with her sixth sense.

The hologram flickered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," the young girl spoke with a British accent. "I'm the White Queen, the artificial intelligence for the –"

"I know who you are," Alice snapped. "I knew your sister. She was a homicidal bitch."

Alice's words didn't faze the girl. "My sister computer was merely following the most logical path for the preservation of human life."

"Yeah," Alice answered. "Kill a few, save a lot." She shook her head and looked around. "So what happened here?"

"Dr. Isaacs returned in an infected state. He was bitten by a creature that had been treated with a newly developed serum. A serum derived from your blood. The resulting infection has caused massive mutations."

Alice's eyes went wide. "My blood?" How did they have her blood? They must have taken it when she was last held hostage by Umbrella, after Raccoon City.

The AI nodded. "Your blood has bonded with the T-Virus. Dr. Isaacs correctly deduced that it could be used to destroy the biohazard for good."

Alice was shell-shocked. "You mean my blood is the cure for all of this?"

Again the hologram nodded. "Correct."

Alice held out her wrists to the hologram. "Then drain it out of me!"

Claire grabbed her from behind and pulled her away from the girl. "Are you crazy?"

Alice rounded on the woman. "Claire, an _end_ to all of this. If my blood is what it takes to end this then I will willingly sacrifice it."

The redhead's eyes swelled with tears again. "I know. That's what I'm worried about. Alice I –"

The hologram cut off their conversation. "You're blood is pure, and this facility contains everything you will require to synthesize a cure. Only small portions of blood will be needed." She looked pointedly at the older woman. "There is however, a small problem."

She activated a computer screen and pulled up a camera showing the women the lower levels of Umbrella. Dr. Isaacs was pacing back and forth, pounding on the doors and walls, trying to break free. "I have him contained in the lower levels, but I cannot hold him there for much longer."

"Alright, let's go," she said to the computer. "You two," she acknowledged Claire and K-Mart. "Stay here." She turned back to the AI. "One more thing. The antivirus. Claire she was – she was bitten."

"Wait," K-Mart said confusedly. "There's an antivirus?"

Alice smiled. "There is," she looked back at the hologram. "And Claire needs it."

The hologram nodded. "I have knowledge of her infection. I did a vital scan on her body when I detected it. She is still in the beginning stages of infection. Her blood is unnaturally strong and it is fighting back against the virus. In fact, I've never seen anything quite like it. I have the antivirus here. But," the hologram almost seemed hesitant of what she was about to say. "I'll need it as an insurance policy."

Alice bristled. _That little conniving bitc –  
_  
"I will keep monitoring her condition, Project Alice. If the infection continues to the next stage and her condition deteriorates, I will lead her to the antivirus. You have my word."

Alice shook her head. "What good is the word of an inanimate object?" But she knew that the AI wouldn't budge. "Alright, unlock it."

"Not quite yet," the hologram had the same look on her face. "Project Alice, I've scanned your vital signs as well. You have not consumed nourishment in over three days. In your current state, you will _not_ stand a chance at defeating Dr. Isaacs."

Alice looked around. "Well do you want to just point me in the direction of the nearest Burger King then?" she snapped sarcastically.

The hologram pointed in the direction of the two younger women.

Alice glanced at Claire before realizing what the AI was implying. "Absolutely not. I'm not going to take blood from my friends."

The hologram shook her head. "You can't take blood from the infected human in any circumstance. It will do nothing but make you sick. The younger human's blood is clean, you must gain your strength from her or there is no hope."

Alice saw K-Mart's eyes go wide. "How much blood?" the younger girl squeaked.

The hologram narrowed her eyes in calculation. "A pint should suffice."

"A pint!" Alice shouted.

K-Mart went pale. "That's what they take when you donate right? Okay Alice, just – try to be gentle?"

Alice looked from the AI to K-Mart to Claire. The redhead's breathing was getting a little more rapid and her eyes seemed unfocused. She was wasting time by arguing. "Fine," she growled at the hologram.

She went to K-Mart and gently pulled the girl's hair away from her neck. "Where is a first aid station?" she asked the AI.

"In the adjacent room, behind the coolers there is a first aid box, but you won't need it."

Alice glared at the hologram before she went to get the box. She found everything she would need to dress K-Mart's wound after she was finished. Finally, she looked into K-Mart's big, brown eyes. "You're a very brave gir – woman, you know that?"

K-Mart shook her head. "I'm nowhere near as brave as you, Alice."

The AI spoke again. "I should explain to you, Project Alice. There are two very specific substances in your saliva. They are new mutations that are not in your previous file. Perhaps ones that have recently formed? One increases the release of dopamine and the other triggers cellular regeneration and collagen synthesis, but you have to know how to use them. It appears your teeth are constantly coated in an amino acid called tyrosine. It's the precursor for dopamine release. If your teeth enter as close to the brain as possible, the dopamine will trigger more rapidly, causing the subject less pain. Then, there is a proteolytic enzyme that collects on the underside of your tongue. It will slow bleeding and speed healing times by almost ninety percent."

Alice blinked rapidly as she took in the information. "Well that's – good to know."

She tilted K-Mart's head to the side and leaned in. Her teeth played softly with the junction of the girl's neck and shoulder when the AI interrupted yet again. "Might I suggest, just below the ear."

Alice nodded, skimming her teeth up K-Mart's neck to the point just below her ear. She could hear K-Mart's heart hammering in her chest. Alice's tongue pressed against the girl's pulse point. She could smell K-Mart's sweet blood through the skin and it made her mouth water. She looked over the blonde's shoulder and her eyes locked with Claire's unstable gaze. No time for hesitation.

She bit down hard, breaking the skin quickly so that she could trigger K-Mart's natural pain relievers. The blonde cried out softly, but angled her head further, giving Alice better access.

Alice could feel K-Mart's body relaxing in her arms and the girl softly moaned. The older woman could feel the strength coming into the muscles of her arms and legs. She breathed in deeply and could smell K-Mart's arousal even through the strong, sweet smell of the girl's blood.

The hologram coughed lightly and cleared her throat. "Well that's a highly irregular response."

"What?" Claire asked, concern evident in her voice, even though it was labored.

"The human girl is showing signs of sexual arousal," the AI stated matter-of-factly. "Her pheromones indicate she wishes to mate with Project Alice."

K-Mart groaned. "Shut up!" she managed to cry out.

Alice grinned into K-Mart's neck before closing her lips over the wound again and sucking the sweet fluid into her mouth.

"That's enough Project Alice," the AI stated. "Any more and you'll have taken too much."

Alice released K-Mart's neck and immediately lapped her tongue over the wound. She could already notice it closing when she pulled away a few moments later. "That's amazing."

"Fresh blood will increase the power and potency of all of your abilities Project Alice." She stared at Alice blankly, like she had just told her to add more broccoli to her diet. "The T-Virus in your system multiplies by feeding off of the ingested blood. It knows better than to feed off of its host's blood. When the T-Virus multiplies, your abilities grow stronger. When the newly formed T-Cells bond with your own cells, it triggers your mutations."

"Mutations?" Alice asked with disgust.

"Internal mutations. Mostly neural, but some can be new enzymes, mental evolution, or even physical adaptations."

"You mean I could start growing a third arm?" Her disgust elevated with the thought.

"That would be highly unlikely," the AI stated. "The T-Virus is adapting your body into the most suitable host for the current environment. Regulated body temperature, enhanced vision, smell, taste, and hearing, accelerated healing, superior strength and speed. It is likely that any other adaptations will be along the same lines."

Alice wasn't swayed. "Likely?"

"My hypothesis is just that Project Alice. It cannot be tested."

Alice sighed. "Alright then. Open it up."

The door slid open and Alice stepped inside.

"Alice," the AI called out. Alice turned to face the hologram again. "Good luck."

Alice nodded as the doors slid shut again. The elevator descended to the lower levels and the blonde found that it was even darker down there. Luckily she could see just fine. As she walked through the first room, she noted the disaster area it really was. Chairs and desks were broken into pieces. Research equipment was scattered all around. Long spider web cracks lined the concrete walls. Behind a glass window she could see bodies hanging from equipment.

Everything was silent. She was almost positive that Dr. Isaacs was aware of her arrival. She breathed in deeply, tasting the air around her to try and locate the creature. She could smell infection everywhere. It was like Dr. Isaacs had touched absolutely everything in the office.

She walked forward and almost stumbled over a body that was lying on the floor. Her thoughts were still on Claire and getting her the antivirus. It was clouding her mind and making it impossible to focus on the task at hand. She collected her thoughts and pressed forward into the next room.

The sight before her nearly took her breath away. In a lone cryo-stasis tube, was an exact replica of herself, much like the ones she had run across piled in the ditch outside the facility. It was as she'd expected. Dr. Isaacs had been cloning her. She shuddered as she stepped closer to the glass. Suddenly the eyes on the other side snapped open in a mirror image of her own. The clone was still alive!

Alice walked to the computer and went through the appropriate sequences of draining the fluid and unhooking the tubes. When she opened the chamber, the clone fell forward into her gasping for air. After a few minutes, the clone stopped gasping and fell limp in her arms. She had just watched herself die. It was agonizing in a way that no one was ever really meant to experience.

She immediately removed her duster and laid it over the clone when a subtle noise caught her attention. She turned to find Dr. Isaacs. His skin was a pale bluish-gray and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"You've looked better Sam," she deadpanned. Alice didn't wait for a response, or an attack. She was spinning around and planting a solid roundhouse kick into his chest; he staggered backward as her kukri came down slicing open his shoulder. Alice watched in horror as the wound closed itself within seconds.

"You can't kill me," the man said in a haughty voice. He grabbed at Alice with huge tentacles that protruded from his hands. He knocked her kukris from her grip as his vine-like tentacles wrapped tightly around her neck.

She could feel the air being cut off from her lungs. Her chest convulsed painfully as she tried to suck in a breath. She realized she couldn't over power him, so she focused her attention on the appendages around her neck. Her eyes narrowed as she conjured up the heat from her body and directed it into his flesh.

Immediately he released her and she fell to the floor, scraping up her kukris and putting distance between them.

He grabbed at her again and she made a clean swipe through the air, cutting off all of the encroaching limbs. He howled in pain and backed away. She focused again and sent a blast toward him that ripped the floorboards away and sent him through the concrete wall. The ceiling in the room he had been tossed into collapsed.

Silence.

Finally. She began to walk away when she heard the noise of concrete shifting. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," she mumbled.

When the creature pressed up sending concrete everywhere she ran toward him hitting him with everything she could think of. She noticed a very familiar room at the opposite end of the one they occupied at the moment and started to pound him with blow after blow pushing him back toward the room.

When she finally pushed him through the door she lodged a kukri into his neck almost taking his head clean off. Again the wound healed rather quickly once he had removed the blade. "I've told you. I can't die." He wrapped the tentacles of his other hand around her neck intent on crushing her windpipe this time. Alice saw the blue glow starting to form in the walls around them and she smiled.

"For so long I thought you were the future," he mused, oblivious to what was happening around them. "I was wrong. I'm the future."

Alice shook her head. "No." She paused. "You're just another asshole." The lasers shot out in a grid pattern that moved quickly toward them both. "And we're both gonna die down here."

Finally he turned at the last moment to catch the laser. It hit him square in the face and passed through his body splitting him into small diamond shaped pieces. Alice closed her eyes and welcomed death. She only hoped they could salvage enough of her blood to create the cure.

But death never came. She opened her eyes to find the laser had stopped inches from her face. She turned to see the clone standing in front of the laptop control system. She walked over to the clone, who smirked and said, "Yeah, you're the future alright."

Alice couldn't help but smile. She grabbed the clone by the hand. She could hear a meeting going on in an adjacent room and decided to crash it. When she entered the room it was lined with dozens of the human sized cryo-stasis tubes. Each one contained a fully-grown version of herself. She gasped and staggered back.

The voices brought her back to her senses and she searched the room. She found only a laptop that was hooked up to a holographic video teleconference. She could hear the conversation loud and clear though.

"All attempts to contact the North American facility continue to fail."

"How long have they been off the air?" She knew that voice well. Chairman Albert Wesker. Even before the outbreak his voice had always given Alice chills. He was the poster child for sociopaths. She should have known he would still be alive and behind all of this.

"Seventeen hours, sir."

"We must consider them lost," Wesker replied. "But our plans remain unchanged. All data will be transferred to this facility and the research will continue under my personal supervision. I expect results within one month."

Alice stepped onto the holopad that would project her imagine into the conference room. "You won't have to wait that long boys. Because I'm coming for you. And…I'm going to be bringing a few of my friends," she said confidently looking behind her at the rows of clones lined up along the walls.

She turned toward the clone beside her. The mirror image had wrapped herself in the duster that Alice had laid over her earlier. "This could get really confusing, _really_ fast. I'm going to call you "A."

Alice grinned. "Before the outbreak, Umbrella had been working on imprinting human memories onto these silicone implants they called Memory Chips. I don't know how far they had gotten with the research before the outbreak. How much do you remember? Anything?"

"Everything up until Raccoon City," the clone stated.

It was eerie hearing her own voice coming from somebody else. She shook her head. "That's amazing," Alice whispered.

"What happened after Raccoon City?" the other woman asked.

"We met up with a convoy, and we may have possibly gotten into a complicated relationship with the leader of the human resistance…and an eighteen-year-old girl." Alice looked at the clone sheepishly.

The other woman laughed. "That sounds about right yeah. Is she cute?" The clone winked at Alice. At least they had the same wicked sense of humor.

Alice grinned. "Remember that stripper from Platinum a few of months before the outbreak?"

The clone nodded slowly. "Oh yeah, probably even better than you do."

Alice smirked. "Her real name is Claire Redfield. And she's upstairs right now in need of the antivirus. Let's go."

* * *

_A/N: Alice better get back to Claire soon! The redhead won't know what to do with two Projects ;-) But I can definitely think of a few things…_

Review Responses:

_OnyxTemplar – Ah yes, my gentle killing of Claire Redfield. Eh, her relationship with Alice has been nothing but rough and near traumatizing as it is. I could just kill her off in the same manner, and have them begin and end full circle, or, I could write a slow, tender sickness. Infection spreads. Fever raises. Alice watches as Claire nears the precipice of life, then when I decide not to kill her they come away with a more tender aspect to their relationship…we all know I could never kill Claire. ;-)_

SilverCrusader – Haha, it's none of the above! You mean to tell me, that if someone who had saved your life countless times, someone you loved, was dying, you wouldn't want to stay by her side until the last possible minute? That's why K-Mart is here…because she's human… Thanks for the review :-)

mickelus – I am indeed building the closeness of the relationships in the next few chapters, but the real fun doesn't start until the sequel ;-)

Avienda – I could kill K-Mart, but sadly, she's one of my favorite characters to write though, so I don't think I will. Although the sequel is K-Mart free for a few chapters. Thanks for your review. :-)

poynton90 – Thanks! The last few chapters of the story are packed with a lot more action than the first, so hopefully, they'll only get more intense up to the end. :-)

PrincessLia – mmmmmmm Alice clones….. mmmmmm… ;-)

JamieS91 – Ah yes yes, always with the cliffies, I know. I can't help it. I mean I can…but I won't. ;-) I'm glad you're still enjoying the fic. Hopefully, the next few chapters live up to your expectations. :-)

kluve – hahaha, yeah leave it to K to take a plan and tear it to threads LoL. She is a very impulsive character, that's why she's so fun to write! When I start a chapter 'I'm' not even really sure what K-Mart is going to do. ;-) Yup, Mikey's still ticking. Need to show that there are still people out there that care about K, besides Claire and Alice. She'll need it soon. Hahaha Alice = Clint Eastwood, nice! I'm glad you stay for the thrills! There will actually be a lot more action in the sequel, and maybe K-Mart will finally find someone to love ;-)

TAS – Hahahaha, well thank you. I'm glad you like the story. I do try to create a world my readers don't want to leave, so it's nice to know I'm being at least somewhat effective ;-) I promise not to make you wait too long. Thanks for the review. :-)

123a456e – Thanks for the review! I update every Friday :-)


	22. Chapter 22

_Review Responses:_

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Claire's POV

Her skin was cold, but her insides were on _fire._ She felt like she was boiling from the inside out. She tried to focus on what K-Mart was saying but the girl sounded garbled and far away, even though she sat only a few feet from Claire.

She noticed the hologram pop up beside K-Mart and strained to focus on what was being said. "Her condition has elevated to the next stage. We can't wait on Project Alice to return. You're going to have to inject her with the antivirus."

The young blonde nodded. "Where is it at?"

"Three doors down the hallway on the left. There is a cabinet with an electronic keypad. The code is 1217. But Dahlia –"

K-Mart's head snapped around at the use of her real name.

"There are infected in the room," the AI stated. "There is a pistol located in the third drawer of the desk behind you. There should be two full magazines there as well. Do you know how to fire a handgun?"

Claire laughed. "K-Mart is a _great_ shot." Everything was blurry, but she saw K-Mart's grin and she returned the smile. "K, be careful, please."

K-Mart nodded and went to get the pistol. Claire watched her insert a magazine and flick the safety off. Then the girl disappeared out the door.

"How many are in there," Claire asked the AI.

The girl regarded her curiously. "Just two. I can pull her up on the camera if you like." She paused, but Claire could tell there was more. "The three of you are fascinating. Usually humans only prefer one mate at a time."

Claire blushed – or maybe it was just the fire inside of her – but nodded at the screen and instantly the laptop showed a picture of K-Mart making her way down the hall, gun at the ready, just like Claire had taught her years ago. She smiled at the girl. She may have never let K-Mart be in a fight, but that didn't mean the girl had forgotten everything she'd learned. She'd have to remember to get K-Mart a set of pistols, if she made it out of this…

Claire watched as K-Mart twisted the knob and kicked the door open with her boot. She backed up immediately before slowly proceeding forward. As K-Mart entered the door, the camera switched to a side-view of the other room.

Claire could only see one of the two infected creatures. He was in the open, and K-Mart shot him cleanly in the head. Claire looked around for the second one but couldn't find him. It made her uneasy. She watched as K-Mart made a three hundred and sixty degrees turn. Then watched the girl make her way to the cabinet.

As she punched in the code, Claire spotted the second infected. A crawler. K-Mart wouldn't even know to look down. She had to get there. She stood shakily and turned to go to K-Mart. But as she did, she was overwhelmed by a dizziness that dropped her to the concrete floor. She barely heard the voice of the AI as she spoke through the intercom system into the next room.

"Dahlia, the infected creature on the floor is crawling toward you. Take him out and bring the antivirus back quickly. Claire's condition is worsening."

The world faded from her vision and she sank into a fitful unconsciousness.

* * *

When she woke, she felt like her insides were normal temperature, and her skin didn't feel like it was ice. But her vision was still off. She was seeing double. Or she thought that she was until she realized that one of the Alices was wearing something entirely different. She blinked and tried to sit up, but a strong hand against her chest forced her back to the floor.

She turned to see K-Mart's dark brown eyes staring at her. "Nice to have you back," the blonde whispered.

Alice was at her side in an instant. Claire looked up into her blue-green eyes and could tell that the woman was struggling with something. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice was raw, but her body felt strong, so she sat up and turned toward Alice.

Alice shook her head. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I have to go, take care of something." She gave Claire a desperate look and the convoy leader immediately knew what Alice was referring to. "Oh. Of course." She nodded at Alice. The older woman went into the next room and shut the door.

After a few minutes, K-Mart turned her confused look to Claire. The redhead wasn't about to give any details away, but the Alice doppelganger filled her in. "Blood lust. From the virus. We get it after a fight. Only one thing really takes our mind off of it."

K-Mart's eyes got wide. "What takes your mind off of it?"

"Sex," the clone stated bluntly.

K-Mart's eyes got even wider and she turned to the redhead. "That's why you were – on the stairs?" she asked Claire.

"Yes."

Claire could feel her own blush, but the answer had come from behind them. All eyes snapped up to Alice as she stood in the doorway.

Alice smirked, but the redhead could tell she had found no release. "Claire, how are you feeling?"

Aside from feeling the blood rush to her face and her hot center at the same time, she felt fine. Like the virus had never been in her system at all. "I feel fine," she started. "Why? Do you need something?"

"I'm having a little – difficultly getting past this blood lust." Claire could see Alice's eyes dilate and knew that she was struggling hard. She pushed herself off the bed and went to the older woman. They slipped into the other room and Alice closed the door behind them.

She was pressed against the door immediately. The cool metal and Alice's cool skin, made Claire's body feel superheated.

"I like your body _much_ better when it's warm," the older woman said, pulling Claire's tank top over her head and pressing her cool palms against Claire's heated stomach.

Claire shuddered. Alice's hands cupped her breasts roughly before pulling the straps of her bra down until her dusky pink nipples were revealed. Alice's cool lips closed around her nipple and she pawed at Claire's heated center.

Claire jerked her hips toward Alice's hand and moaned. Alice released the redhead's nipple and pulled her forward off of the door for a passionate kiss. She pulled away smirking. "What?" Claire asked. Suddenly, cool hands were at her back unhooking her bra and sliding it off her shoulders.

The redhead gasped as she felt icy lips toying along her shoulder blade and those same fingers reaching around to unbutton her pants.

Alice pulled her back into a feverish kiss and Claire lost her train of thought. Until she felt a hand slip down the back of her pants, fingernails digging into the cheek of her ass. She groaned and pushed her hips back. She knew the strong, cool hand _had_ to belong to Alice's double. She briefly wondered exactly why Alice had never mentioned the fact that she had a twin sister, but when she thought of that, she realized that she was _deeply_ uncomfortable with what was going on. "Wait," she moaned. "This is weird, how can you – with your sister right here?"

Alice laughed. "Claire, she's not my sister. I was an only child."

The redhead looked at Alice with a confused expression. "Then who is this?" She turned to find Alice's exact double, only with slightly longer, blonder hair.

The Alice doppelganger raised an eyebrow in the _exact_ way Alice did. "I'm a clone," she stated bluntly.

Claire's eyes widened. "No way," she knew she sounded like an excited teenager, but she didn't care. "Okay, this is probably going to come out all kinds of wrong, but can you guys – I mean – will you guys? –" She cut herself off when the real Alice raise her eyebrow as well.

Alice's clone's hand moved from her ass, inching further down until it slid between the redhead's legs from behind. Claire moaned, and moved her hips against the woman's fingers.

Alice smirked. "What was it you wanted Claire? Can we, what exactly?"

Claire reached back and grabbed the Alice clone. She pulled her around in front of her, unceremoniously yanking the woman's hand from the back of her pants. Claire groaned at the loss of contact, but immediately pushed the woman into Alice. Then she turned her hot gaze on her friend, pleading with her eyes.

Alice shook her head. "The things I do to make you happy," she mumbled, leaning in and capturing the clone's lips. Her double responded hesitantly at first, but quickly parted her lips and met Alice's tongue halfway.

Claire watched with rapt attention. The sight of Alice's tongue in her mirror image's mouth was making the redhead's blood catch fire and pool in the pit of her stomach. She could feel warm moisture trickling from her center and she shifted to relieve some of the pressure.

Alice pulled away from her clone and both sets of blue-green eyes, wild with desire, turned toward the redhead. The sight made Claire's stomach flip and her heart race. "A, I'd like to _officially_ meet Claire Redfield," Alice grinned.

The clone held out her hand to the convoy leader and Claire took it with a firm grasp. "Pleasure," the redhead mumbled.

The clone smirked. "Oh the pleasure's all mine, I assure you." Her eyes trailed down Claire's body slowly. "Well, we gave you a show. Do we get one now? We always did enjoy a good show from you."

Claire's eyes widened, quickly picking up on the connotation. "How does she?" The redhead turned her questioning glance on Alice.

Alice shrugged. "It's technology called a Memory Chip, a silicone implant that acts as a storage device for actual memories. Umbrella was implanting them into clones' brains to see if they could give the clones a type of genetic memory. But it's accessed like a USB drive, so all of my memories were transferred to her, but she can remember them a _lot_ more clearly than I can, because she can constantly go back and access them.

The explanation made Claire's brain hurt, so she shook the questions away and refocused on the topic at hand. "What kind of show were you referring to?" She had a wicked gleam in her eyes and she knew the woman could see it.

The clone smirked. Her eyes went blank for just a few seconds before fluttering shut and snapping open again. "I always did love any show you put on, but I – we" she corrected, nodding at Alice. "We always thought it would be amazingly hot if you would have touched yourself in that back room while we watched."

Claire shut her eyes and inhaled. "Because me rubbing myself off on your thigh that first night wasn't enough? How many lap dances have you gotten where the dancer actually got off in front of you?"

The clone chuckled. "Only you, but it would be much hotter if it were intentional."

Claire's gaze shifted to Alice and the older woman was staring at her with passionate eyes. She barely caught Alice nod her head slightly. Claire smiled seductively, wiggling out of her pants and underwear. Both women's eyes were glued to her as she moved. She walked backwards until she bumped into the desk she had seen earlier. Turning, she cleared it with one swipe and hopped on top. She scooted back until her feet rested flat on the edge and her knees were bent.

Slowly she trailed her hand down her abdomen and between her legs. She rubbed her clit gently as her other hand toyed with her nipple. Her eyes were locked on Alice's. She still needed to make sure the woman was distracted. Alice's full attention was on Claire's hand, slowly moving between her legs.

Claire smiled to herself. It felt good to know that she could hold the woman's attention. It felt good to know that Alice wanted her. This strong, independent, gorgeous creature wanted her. She turned her gaze to Alice's double and witnessed the same look of desire across the clone's face. It made her burn inside to know that both of these beautiful women wanted to be with her.

Her hips moved with the rhythm of her fingers, but she wanted more. She wanted rough hands and lips on her skin. She wanted cool fingers inside of her. She wanted an icy tongue lapping away at her clit _and_ her nipples at the same time. She moaned at the thought.

"Alice, please?" She was begging the older woman, then she turned her pleading eyes to the clone.

Alice was the first to give in. She was in between Claire's legs, scooting the redhead to the edge of the desk in a heartbeat. Her hand pushed Claire's out of the way as her cool fingers sank into warm wetness. Alice moaned and the sound made Claire's eyes flutter shut.

She reveled in the feeling of Alice's fingers sliding along her wet folds. With her eyes closed it was easy to picture the love in the older woman's eyes that Claire would most likely never actually see there. But the fantasy was incredible. When she felt Alice pull away she almost opened her eyes until cool fingers were back against her.

Alice's smooth fingers pushed in between her outer lips and caressed her clit softly. _Wait, smooth fingers? Softly? _ Her eyes snapped open and she was met by a sly smirk and a raised eyebrow. Long blonde hair. "Fuck," she whispered huskily. Then Alice appeared in her vision. The older woman was at her head, leaning over and groping Claire's breasts roughly with calloused hands.

Alice was wearing an identical smirk as her fingers pinched and rolled Claire's nipples. The redhead writhed on the desk and cried out when the double's fingers slid inside of her. The clone didn't give her any grace period before she was slamming her fingers into Claire at a rapid pace.

As if they had read her mind, Alice leaned forward and captured Claire's nipple in her chilled mouth and the clone quickly followed, taking the redhead's clit between her lips. Claire's hips bucked into the clone and she arched her back, pressing her breast further into Alice's mouth. "Oh. Fucking. Christ," she panted.

Her mind was reeling. She couldn't have strung together a line of thoughts if she'd tried. Her blood was on fire. She could feel Alice nipping at her breasts. The older woman's teeth were a tease when Claire wanted them sinking into her skin, but she couldn't find her voice in order to tell Alice.

She shook her head back and forth as her orgasm ripped through her body and she could hear herself crying out again and again.

When she finally came down from her high, she was leaning against Alice's rock hard body with the woman's arms wrapped tightly around her. The clone was kneeling in front of her squeezing her calf muscles gently. Claire smiled at the mirror image of Alice. "Have you ever been to Alaska?"

She could feel Alice's chest rumble with laughter and could clearly picture the older woman's rolling eyes. She leaned her head back against Alice's shoulder and relaxed. "Blood lust all gone?"

"Didn't stand a chance," the older woman answered.

Claire got dressed and the three women entered the room where K-Mart waited with the White Queen. The blonde's eyes were as big as saucers as she stared at Claire. "Did what I think just happened in there, actually happen?"

Claire and Alice both blushed lightly, but the clone stood there casually.

"If what you think just happened was two viral weapons projects and a fully grown human female copulating for the sole purpose of gratification, with no intention of mating or reproducing, then yes. It did just happen." The hologram flickered.

All eyes turned to the White Queen. "What?" she asked. "Okay, maybe there was a small intention of mating from the –"

"Wow! You just said that," Claire interrupted. There was _no_ way she was going to let this computer generated twelve-year-old _out_ her emotions to Alice.

The clone snorted. "Way to take a magical moment and nerd it up, Snow White."

The four broke into a fit of laughter, while the hologram stood there, flickering in and out softly.

* * *

_A/N: I think Alice's clone may be my newest favorite character to write. I love quick-witted, blunt, extremely hot women… The AI is also pretty fun to write. LoL So Claire's not dead! Yay! I mean did any of you ever really doubt me? That would just be cruel…and it wouldn't really leave much in the way of a sequel._

_Review Responses:_

_JamieS91 – Thank you so much! I love to hear that this is someone's favorite story! It makes my day. :-)_

_kluve – Thank you! When I first got the idea for this, I really wanted to stay true to the storyline, and just add in what I thought should have happened in the romance area lol But yes, leave it to K-Mart ;-) can you really blame her? She's been wanting Alice's mouth on her for a while now. LoL_

_DalekSec-kmz – I am indeed planning on going further with Alice's blood being the cure. Just you wait ;-) I already have it all worked out in my head :-D_

_123a456e – Thanks! She's so much fun to write. I can just let my inner smart-ass run rampant!_

_Avienda – Glad you enjoyed it :-)_

_PrincessLia – I plan on having a little K-Mart/Clone sexy-banter, though I haven't made the decision to throw them into any kind of relationship. Hehehehe, Claire and the clones…. ::drool::_

_poynton90 – Thanks! I'm glad I could make you laugh! I try to add some humor in every now and again ;-)_

_mickelus – hahaha yes, yes she is a nompire. LMAO. I can't wait to start posting the sequel! Only a few chapters of this story left. It's not really any less about K-Mart. It just separates her from the other two a bit._

_OnyxTemplar – I hope the center was gooey enough for you. It wasn't my most detailed work, but, still fun to write… _

_SilverCrusader – Ew! No! No penises! LMAO_

_xjadedjoy – I'm glad you decided to comment! Thank you so much for following along with the story. I'm having a great time writing it, so I love to hear that people enjoy reading it as well. As for Claire and the clones…I mean, I do what I can ;-)_

_Juliaeidrian – Thank you so much!_

_angelsgir – Oh just you wait, K-Mart will get her shot. And I most definitely wouldn't kick a copy of Alice out of my bed. In fact, I think I'd invite more copies into my bed. The more the merrier ;-)_

_Kungfu Kia – Haha, well don't get kicked out! I have big plans for K-Mart in the sequel. It will all come together soon. :-) Thanks for reviewing!_


	23. Chapter 23

_Review Responses:_

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

K-Mart's POV

K-Mart felt woozy still. Her head was throbbing and she felt like she may pass out if she stood up from her seat on the desk. The blonde turned to the White Queen. "You were explaining Alice's condition earlier. Do you know any more about it?"

The AI nodded. "I've been studying the scans I took of Alice's body from earlier. I've run a few tests and come up with a couple theories on what could be triggering the mutations."

All four women gave the AI their undivided attention.

"I believe that ingesting a new human DNA code is what is causing your additional abilities."

Alice cocked her hand to the side. "So every time I consume blood I'm going to mutate?"

K-Mart didn't like the sound of that. Alice had just ingested a _lot_ of her blood. The blonde didn't want to be the reason the older woman started physically mutating. What if it was her blood that caused Alice to mutate like the woman had described Dr. Isaacs doing? What if it was her blood that caused Alice to have those weird tentacles coming out of her mouth like those creatures that had attacked them at the motel? Briefly she thought back to that crazy Japanese anime porn she had caught Mikey watching one night. Her eyes widened, but the hologram interrupted her thoughts.

"Not precisely so," the AI answered. "I believe it has to be a new DNA code. If you keep taking blood from the same DNA source, you should be able to refrain from mutating. In theory." I_n theory, well I guess theory is better than nothing… _the blonde thought ruefully. Alice had already ingested her blood, so she should be in the clear. She tried to focus again, but her head was pounding.

K-Mart was really interested in what the hologram had to say, but her attention was still unfocused and she kept shifting back to Alice's clone. It was fascinating. She looked just like Alice except for the hair. The woman caught her glances and winked. K-Mart felt the remaining blood in her body rush to her face and she turned her eyes back to the AI.

After a few more minutes of listening to the hologram talk about DNA, her eyes drifted back to the clone. The woman was blatantly staring at K-Mart now and it made the subtle heat spark up in the pit of her stomach. She raised an eyebrow at the clone and received a smirk in return.

K-Mart watched as the woman's eyes shifted over to the half open door the three had just entered from moments ago. She glanced back at K-Mart with questioning eyes.

_Is she asking me to go to the back room with her?_ K-Mart asked herself. _Why would we _– she stopped the thought halfway through because she realized what the clone was proposing. Her mind whirled for a second.

It's basically Alice, she reasoned with herself. She looks the same, she talks the same, she even smells the same. Still, even with her attraction to Alice, it wasn't enough to just walk off into a back room with a woman she had just met solely based on the fact that she has the same DNA as Alice. K-Mart turned her eyes back to the hologram, pretending she didn't understand what the clone was silently asking her.

"So if Alice just kept taking small amounts of my blood, she could sustain optimal performance, without causing extreme shifts in her body?" The redhead's question brought K-Mart's attention back to the conversation.

"Assuming that Alice has already ingested your blood, it would be quite possible. For Alice," the AI said addressing the redhead. "Ingesting fresh blood is equivalent to putting fuel injector cleaner into your vehicle. Your engine will continue to run just fine without it, but with it, it will perform better."

K-Mart could see the light bulb come on in Claire's brain. Anything that could be compared to cars, the redhead would understand. It made the girl grin a bit; Claire was such a gearhead.

"It appears that Alice could safely ingest DNA from you or your mate, though it would be interesting to run the model on how ingesting DNA from the clone would affect her physically." She turned to Alice. "I don't suppose you would be willing to test that theory for me?"

K-Mart could see the gentle blush on Claire's face when the AI had called her Claire's mate. In truth, the girl could feel the heat in her own face as well. She locked eyes with the redhead for a second before glancing at Alice.

Alice shook her head. "Yeah, I don't think so," she stated calmly.

The hologram nodded. "I didn't figure I'd get so lucky. Still I think I can safely deduce what would occur in that situation. I will have to test it later." She turned her attention to the clone. "Perhaps you can assist me?"

The clone nodded. "Sure. I supposed that's what I was created for huh?"

K-Mart furrowed her brows. "Wait, what do you think will happen to her?"

The AI turned toward K-Mart. "It is possible that nothing will occur. It is the same DNA after all. However, it is most likely that the T-Virus will overload her system, creating uncontrollable and unpredictable mutations."

K-Mart saw the clone's face pale. "You can't just use her as a lab rat!" The girl shouted at the hologram ardently. "She's a human being. You can't just treat people like that. That's the reason we're in this mess in the first place!" She had walked over and stood between the clone and the AI even though she knew that the hologram couldn't physically hurt the woman. Her head was still swimming, but she took the clone's hand and led her into the back room.

She could vaguely hear Alice and Claire laughing as the hologram asked what she had said to offend the human girl.

She rounded on the clone when the door closed behind them. "You can't just let them experiment on you!" She stared deep into the blue-green eyes that were so much like Alice's. "What if – I mean what if it turns you into something – else?"

The clone smirked. "Are you worried about me?" She stepped closer to K-Mart, entering the girl's space, and reached out to place her hands on slender hips.

K-Mart looked down at where the woman's hands rested on her hips. It didn't necessarily make her uncomfortable, but she wasn't entirely comfortable with the position either. "I know you're not Alice, but you're a part of Alice. And she's my friend. I don't want to see her hurt, and I think if you were to – turn into something less – human – she wouldn't like it."

The young blonde swallowed hard as she felt the clone's thumb toying with the hem of her shirt. She backed out of the woman's embrace and eyed her warily. "I didn't bring you back here so you could grope me, I just wanted to get you away from that horrible computer."

She noticed the hurt look flash across the woman's face, but the clone answered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – to upset you. I just thought – with the way you looked at me in the other room – I thought you were interested. Is it because I'm a clone? We're not all evil you know." She winked at the younger girl.

"What? Of course not!" K-Mart argued. "It's because I don't know you! Sure you have Alice's face and her voice, but we just met each other. I don't just pull strangers into back rooms!"

The clone smiled. "I have Alice's memories too."

K-Mart's eyes got wide. How could that even be possible? "What? For real?"

The clone nodded. "Yeah, it's called a Memory Chip. It's implanted in my brain. It feeds me Alice's memories, the ones that were extracted from her when she was in the Detroit facility anyway. Anything after that, I don't have."

K-Mart was staring at the woman in awe. "That is so cool!" She shook her head, taking the information in. "So you know all about Alice's past? What did she study in college? What's her middle name? Has she always been so – so antisocial?"

The clone laughed. "We double majored in Chemical Engineering and Criminal Justice. Our middle name is Sophia, but our real name isn't Alice. It's Janus Prospero. Alice was an alias for Umbrella. Alice Parks. And yes, we have always been rather standoffish."

K-Mart narrowed her eyes. "You say _we_ like you did all of those things together. It's confusing."

The clone smiled. "Sorry, it's almost like we did though. I have all of the same memories so it feels as if I were there. I don't mean to confuse you."

K-Mart tilted her head. "So what should I call you? I mean – do you have a name? Should I call you Alice? Or Janus?"

The clone smiled. "Alice called me A, so I guess you can call me that too if you'd like."

K-Mart scrunched up her nose. "I'm not calling you a letter," she frowned, taking in the duster that the clone was wearing. "And we should probably look around to see if we can find you some clothes."

The clone smirked. "You don't like what I'm wearing?" The clone shrugged and the duster fell open to reveal a wide strip of her body.

K-Mart could very distinctly make out the clone's nipples. She blushed when she realized she'd been staring for a few seconds. "I think it's a bit cold in here for that."

The smirk turned into a full grin, as the woman stepped forward again and wrapped her arms around K-Mart. "You could keep me warm."

K-Mart was beginning to realize how Claire must have felt for the past few weeks. This woman was persistent. Still, she was beautiful and it was really hard for K-Mart not to appreciate the hard body that was pressed against hers.

The blonde placed her hands on the clone's upper chest and gave a subtle push. "So can I call you Janus then? It doesn't seem like Alice is going to take the name back."

If the clone noticed the hint about her proximity, she didn't acknowledge it. "You can call me whatever you want to blondie." She winked at K-Mart.

The woman leaned forward and pressed her lips against K-Mart's. The younger woman gasped because she wasn't expecting the clone to make such a bold move.

The older woman pushed her tongue into the girl's mouth and the cool muscle slid against K-Mart's. Janus's lips were extraordinarily soft and as her hand came up to rest against K-Mart's cheek, the blonde realized that her skin was amazingly soft as well. Nothing like Alice's rough fingers.

Her lips began responding to the kiss without her brain even realizing it. When her thoughts caught up to her, she had her tongue in the older woman's mouth exploring the cool, smooth contours. She pulled away suddenly and gave the woman a shove. "You can't just kiss people like that! Without asking or knowing if they're going to be into it or not!"

Janus looked confused. "You don't welcome my advances? Then why is your heart hammering? And why are you breathing so heavily? And why can I smell –"

"Okay!" K-Mart cut the woman off. "Maybe I'm attracted to your –" She waved a hand in the clone's direction. " – packaging, but that doesn't give you the right to just grab me and shove your tongue down my throat."

The clone shook her head. "You're very confusing."

K-Mart scowled at the clone. "Well you're very irritating," she quipped. "And my name is not blondie. It's K-Mart."

The clone grinned widely. "Oh really? It says K-Mart on your birth certificate does it?"

K-Mart's scowl deepened. "At least I have a birth certificate," she spat, before immediately regretting the statement. She saw the hurt look on the clone's face. She stepped forward and took the older woman's face in her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." She was deeply embarrassed by what she had said.

Janus pulled away. "No, you're right. I don't have a birth certificate because I was never born. I never had a mother, or a father. I was grown…and harvested. These memories aren't mine. I don't even have a name," she said sadly. "We should probably get back to the others."

She started walking toward the door when K-Mart grabbed her hand. The young blonde pulled the woman back and into her arms. "You do have a name, Janus. And it doesn't matter that the memories you have aren't really yours. You can make your own memories now." K-Mart smiled at the clone. "And I don't have a birth certificate anymore either, so, we're in the same boat there."

Janus stared into the blonde's eyes for a long while. Finally, she gave the girl a sad smile and kissed her on the forehead. "I guess so. You really think that I shouldn't do the experiment?"

K-Mart looked up at the taller woman. "Of course I don't think that you should be experimented on. It's not like she's asking you to taste test between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, she wants you to drink blood in order to see if your body would mutate uncontrollably." K-Mart shook her head. "Doesn't even the risk of that terrify you?"

Janus shook her head. "Not really. You're forgetting, I have all of Alice's memories, but none of my own. My life hasn't started yet, so if it had to be taken away, better now than when I've branched out and formed my own opinions and made my own memories. Besides, I believe research was what I was originally created for."

"Don't think like that," the young blonde pleaded. "You've already started making your own memories." She stared into blue-green eyes for a second before she made her decision. She leaned forward and captured the taller woman's lips. The kiss was chaste, probably because Janus wasn't sure if she could move without K-Mart changing her mind again.

After a few seconds, K-Mart pulled away.

Janus shook her head at the younger girl. "I did mention that you are very confusing right?"

K-Mart shoved the woman's shoulder lightly. "I believe you did, yes," she said rolling her eyes.

Suddenly there was an explosion, followed by a piercing scream. The door burst open and Claire came barging in. "We've got trouble guys," the redhead said breathlessly.

* * *

_A/N: Oh noes! Not trouble! In a zombie story? Who would have thought?!The writers must all be crazy! Sorry for the cliffie, but you know, it's what I does..._

Review Responses:

JamieS91 – Well thank you! I was a little skeptical writing the last chapter, but I feel like it came out okay in the end. Glad you enjoyed it. :-)

_SilverCrusader – Mmmmmm two Claires…yes…yes I see this…this is good…I'd prefer two K-Marts to be honest, or even better, two Claudias from Warehouse 13... Yummmm, but that's just me. ;-)_

mickelus – Oh yes, thay chapter is definitely letting the reader get a glimpse of the future K-Mart. She is so bad ass in the sequel. I have so much fun writing her.

poynton90 – Oh K-Mart's time is coming. She's definitely not expecting it though ;-)

123a456e – Thanks! Every Friday!

Kungfu Kia – I'm glad you liked it. I'm really enjoying reading yours as well!

OnyxTemplar – Ah yes, I couldn't have two Alices in the same room without making them at least kiss. It would just be a waste of potential in my eyes ;-)

xjadedjoy – I update every Friday. This story is actually winding down in the next couple of chapters, but I've already started the sequel so, the fun continues!

BSwifty1997 – Well, when I initially started this story is was just going to be Alice and Claire, but then I really thought it through and I just feel like K-Mart would've had such a huge crush on Claire, and then the way she watched Alice while she was unconscious, well, I felt like she had a crush on Alice too! Then it all just came together after that. Writing the White Queen was so fun! And yes, she was going to let some sensitive information about a certain redhead's feelings slip.

kluve – hahaha scoring for the other team. You make me laugh. LoL Oh, some of my Claire/Alice scenes are pretty steamy. Just do what I do when I read a story with a pairing I don't particularly care for, substitute the name for someone that you like…magical. It's definitely winding to a close. Perhaps four more chapters or so. Maybe five.

PrincessLia – I'm glad I could excite your salivary glands. K-Mart has most definitely grown up. She's totes BA in the sequel. I brought a bit more "K-Mart from the original script" out instead of K-Mart from the actual movie. You will get your Alice/K-Mart scene shortly. I promise ;-) Not much progression left in this one, sad to say. Most of the progress happens in the sequel, the rest of this is action sequences and emotional growth.

thatdamnyank - hahah oh you'll see more of her in the sequel. She's such a fun character to write. I wish they could take her with them too. If only I was writing a RE Warehouse 13 crossover. Claudia could totes make them a handheld out of like, radios and spare toothpicks or something...


	24. Chapter 24

_Review Responses: _

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

* * *

Alice's POV

_Meanwhile..._

Something about the AI was just rubbing Alice the wrong way. Maybe it was because her sister computer had went Charles Manson on the Hive or something. She couldn't quite pinpoint what it was about the hologram that was giving her a bad feeling.

"If I could get a sample of your blood to research, it could speed along the process of finding a cure," the AI stated.

Alice nodded. "Where do you keep the syringes?"

"At the end of the hall there is a research laboratory labeled T-103-R. Behind the incubation tanks, there is a medical processing room; it should have everything you require."

Alice looked at Claire. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She looked pointedly at the AI. "Don't get too chatty little girl."

She took off to find the lab. The giant metal door at the end of the hall was hard to miss. The red sign, marking the lab as T-103-R stood out against the gunmetal gray. Alice went to open the door, but it wouldn't budge, then she noticed there was a large keypad with a screen on the side. The AI popped up on the screen.

"The code is 8768. There are seven infected scattered throughout the laboratory. Three have been injected with Dr. Isaacs' serum derived from your blood. They are, evolved in the sense that they have regained their cognitive reasoning. Do not underestimate them." She flickered off screen before flashing on again. "Oh and Alice…I'm not a little girl." It dawned on Alice why the hologram unnerved her then. Her voice sounded exactly like Angie's. A look of anguish passed over her features briefly before she masked it. She was going to find that kid. No matter what.

The screen went blank and Alice typed in the code. The door opened with a hiss. Her .45s were at the ready, but she assessed the situation silently. She could easily discern the evolved creatures from the normal ones by their unique smell, which she now knew was her own blood.

Once the three evolved creatures spotted her, they ran directly for her, dripping tentacles protruding from their gaping mouths. She easily took them out, then quickly put a bullet in the head of each of the remaining bodies. She rounded the empty incubation tanks and proceeded into the medical processing room. She went through cabinets until she found a syringe, a case of vials and a couple of pint bags. Taking her spoils with her, she went back to the main room.

"Okay, how many vials do you need?" She asked wrapping a band around her bicep and preparing to insert the needle.

"If my calculations are correct, you should be able to spare four pints, but to be on the safe side, let's go with two. I will be quite honest with you. It will make you exceedingly weak until you feed again."

Alice glared at the AI's terminology. "I'll keep that in mind, thanks," she said curtly. She jammed the needle into her vein and saw Claire wince. "Afraid of needles?" She questioned, chuckling.

The redhead shook her head. "Not exactly, but I don't think you're supposed to shove them _through_ your entire arm."

Alice laughed. "No reason to be gentle." She started filling up the bag and her mind conjured up images of Claire lain out naked on the desk. Her eyes sought out the redhead's but Claire was looking in any direction other than her. Alice chuckled silently. The younger woman was _definitely_ bothered by needles.

Once she had filled up the first bag she went to change it out and realized she needed two hands. "Claire, a little help here?" She nodded toward the empty bag on the counter.

Claire swallowed loudly and she grabbed the bag off of the table, quickly changing out the two bags and turning away again. Alice grabbed the younger woman's shoulder and turned her around. She studied Claire's eyes for a few seconds before pulling the woman in for a kiss.

Her free hand tangled into Claire's red hair. Alice could feel the strength leaving her body, and it almost felt as if the redhead were sucking it away with the kiss. She pushed her tongue into Claire's willing mouth and traced the soft contours.

"Alice," Claire whispered into the older woman's lips. "You make me feel things I haven't felt in years." Claire's blue eyes stared into her own. "Feelings that I thought were extinct."

Alice placed a soft kiss on Claire's lips before pulling away smiling. Claire disconnected the second bag and Alice pulled the needle from her arm. She pulled the redhead back into her arms and held her close, breathing in the scent of gunpowder with a faint trace of motor oil. "Claire," she whispered. "I can't believe I found you again, and that I have to let you go again."

The redhead pulled away. "You're not coming to Alaska?"

Alice shook her head. "I have to take down the main Umbrella facility in Tokyo. But I promise Claire, I will find you again."

Claire's eyes were sad. "You've always taken care of me, from the moment you first saw me. And even now you're still taking care of me. Why Alice?"

"You're special," she answered the younger woman. "I knew it from that first moment."

The AI popped up beside Claire. "While we have everything out, I'd like to get a sample of the redhead's blood, to make sure that the virus has been completely eradicated."

Alice nodded, picking up another syringe. She looked at Claire. "I'll be gentle with you."

Claire stared into her eyes with a look that the blonde couldn't quite place. It was almost as if – but no. No one could love her. She was a monster. Once she had the vial of Claire's blood, the older woman turned back to the AI. "What do I need to do with the blood?" She picked up the pint bags and walked toward the hologram.

"If you could hook the bags up to the blood chemistry analyzer in the corner that would be optimal." The hologram pointed to the correct equipment.

Alice hooked the bags up and went back to Claire. "Blood's all gone. I feel weak and a little tired. Maybe we can find something to eat in this place. And get some rest before we head out."

Claire nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty drained myself. Almost turning into an undead, mindless creature really takes a lot out of you." She chuckled darkly.

Alice didn't smile. The thought of Claire turning into one of those creatures made her blood boil. Every instinct inside of her told her to protect the redhead at all costs. She stared into Claire's blue eyes. "Claire I –"

A loud explosion shook the entire structure.

The hologram popped up just in front of them, startling the redhead. Claire gasped and clutched at Alice.

"Ladies, we have an unfortunate turn of events," the AI stated.

"What is it?" Alice asked. She knew it couldn't be anything but trouble.

"One of the experiments kept in the basement levels has emerged from a drug induced hibernation. Dr. Isaacs was keeping the experiments in a comatose state with the aid of a heavy dose of sedatives. When Dr. Isaacs mutated, no one was there to keep the flow of sedatives going. The B.O.W. has awakened now."

"B.O.W. What's that?" asked Claire.

"Bio Organic Weapon," the AI answered. "This one is of the H-200 series, created with the mutagenic effects of the T-Virus based on foreign DNA being introduced into human embryos."

"English please," Alice snapped, annoyed with the AI.

"Hunters are bipedal reptilian-like creatures designed by combining a fertilized human ovum with reptilian or amphibian DNA and then implanting the T-Virus into the resulting creature," the hologram continued. "They are very resilient, possessing an extraordinary strength and speed."

A loud shriek echoed through the facility.

Claire burst through the door to grab K-Mart. "We've got trouble guys," she said breathlessly.

K-Mart and Janus darted into the room following Claire. Janus immediately went to Alice. "Take them. Get them out of here. I'll wake up the others and we'll take that thing down. But I'm going to need you to distract it while I'm waking them."

Alice nodded. "What did you have in mind?"

Janus looked to the AI. "You got anything?"

The hologram nodded. "The basement levels are attached to a subterranean railing system. It surfaces about five miles west of here and turns into a normal set of train tracks. If I release the creature into the tunnel system, and Alice meets it at the tracks, before luring him back to the facility, it should give you enough time to wake the appropriate number of clones."

"Got it," Alice nodded. She turned to the redhead. "Looks like we're going on a joy ride."

They exited the facility and quickly made their way to the hummer. Claire immediately went to the driver's side out of habit. She took off in the direction the AI had indicated. Had Alice not grabbed the wheel and swerved the hummer to the side, they would've driven into the large hole that had opened in the desert floor.

Claire pulled the hummer a few yards past and waited. It wasn't long before a loud shriek was shaking the vehicle. A large, scaly half-man, half-lizard came tearing after them at full speed. Claire floored it, sending waves of sand into the creature – not slowing it down one bit.

She turned in a wide u-turn and took off in the direction of the facility. She had the hummer maxed out at 150 miles per hour. Alice and K-Mart were staring out the back window and the creature was keeping up with them easily. "This is going to be fun," the older woman said with no trace of excitement.

When the facility was in view, Alice could see the clones. Twenty of them total, all standing in a row completely nude, except for the one who was still wearing Alice's long duster.

"That one's Janus!" K-Mart called from the back seat.

Alice glanced at the girl and wondered where she had come up with the name, but figured that the clone must have told her.

The hummer tore through the fence again and skidded to a stop. All three women turned to watch the fight play out.

The clones descended on the creature in force, pushing it back and surrounding it. Massive psionic blasts tore scales from the creature's skin and made it howl in anger. Blood dripped from its mangled flesh, but it didn't seem to slow it down. It reached forward with sharp claws and ripped at the women.

Alice watched as Janus fought the creature expertly, always staying just out of reach of its huge claw-like hands. The creature screeched in frustration as it tried time after time to grasp hold of the woman.

Alice noticed one of the clones standing off on her own, facing the hole in the fence. She realized that the woman was forcing a shield up to keep the horde of infected from joining the fight. She wondered how long the clone would be able to sustain the wall.

She felt helpless, stuck in the hummer while this creature clawed at her clones with the sole intent on shredding them into pieces. She wanted to join the fight, but her head was still swimming with the loss of blood from earlier. She silently cursed the White Queen for forcing this weakness upon her.

The clones were relentless in their attack, but nothing seemed to sway the creature's strength and determination. It was truly a killing machine. A weapon designed with the sole purpose of destroying anything in its path.

Suddenly, the creature turned, and before it even happened, Alice knew what was about to transpire. The huge lizard leapt into the air and over the circle of clones. He came down directly on top of the lone woman holding her focus on the shield.

His razor sharp teeth latched onto the clone and tore her throat out. Blood spurted out in dark red jets from the woman's neck as she crumpled to the ground. Immediately, the horde of undead pressed forward and overran the group.

The clones scattered, trying desperately to quell the swarm of undead.

A loud shriek resounded through the desert, shaking the hummer. Alice watched as the creature turned, blood dripping from his mouth. Her blood. Instantly the creature began to mutate. Large bony spikes protruded from its spine in sharp barbs. Scales shed off in clumps revealing an amour-like skin underneath. Its hands morphed into large, distended sword-like claws. But its eyes were what unsettled Alice the most. They took on a knowing expression as they settled on the clones with sheer hatred.

* * *

_A/N: Oh no, now he's angry. You won't like him when he's angry! Wait…wrong story…_

_Review Responses:_

_PrincessLia – I'm glad I can make you laugh! It's great to hear that in a story about zombies the comedy I throw in is still appreciated. :-)_

_mickelus – Ha! Maybe you should be a detective ;-) Yesyes, explosions! I know. Crazy right?_

_Kungfu Kia – I promise, K-Mart will not be left to end up alone! I will find her somebody to love. :-D_

_angelsgir – Yeah…the two Alice's really get me too lolThanks for the review :-)_

_kluve – Hehehehe, I'm glad you liked the chapter. Plenty of action in the next couple ;-) K is so confused, but what's new really? I'm still working on my K-Mart/Claudia. Hopefully I'll get it finished this weekend ;-)_

_OnyxTemplar – It's like Alice 1.0. We shall see. We shall see!_

_123a456e – Thanks! I'm glad you like the character. So fun to write!_

_poynton90 – arr? I'm behind on my chat acronyms. :-/ I know! I know! I'll catch up sooner or later. K-Mart is a truly kind person. I see her as the girl that was in tears when somebody accidentally ran over a squirrel or something (before the outbreak) so of course she would think that Janus was more than an experiment._

_DalekSec-kmz – Well thanks! Well I just kind of picture wtfI would be thinking if I saw a copy of myself. Other thancreeped out of course. I assume it would get confusing for everyone. Oh we're going places! We are going places! Just, now until the sequel ;-)_

_JamieS91 – Well she IS a teenager! And I figure she'd be even MORE confused, because she hasn't really had a lot of time to date and work things out on her own. I just roll all of that into one bite sized package of awesome that is K-Mart ;-)_


	25. Chapter 25

_Review Responses:_

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

_IMPORTANT Author's note: Okay guys, (and gals) I don't usually bring my readers into my personal endeavors, but I'm proposing something here, mainly because I've seen the power of persuasion work wonders. My favorite show Warehouse 13 is being cancelled. It saddens me. Greatly. Why you ask? Because I'm the biggest Claudia Donovan fangirl I know ;-) So here's my proposal. If you have twitter join me in tweeting to syfy. If you don't have twitter, set one up solely for this purpose ;-) My mental wellbeing depends on you. And your weekly delve into the vulgar, primal cesspool that happens to be my brain depends on my mental wellbeing. Case in point, I get writer's block when I'm not happy, and THAT affects everyone. LoL So tweet with me and tweet often :-D and if you don't, then shame on you! I plan on sending it at least once a day LoL Oh, and if you feel so inclined to follow me on twitter, I will deal out your daily dose of sarcasm (and then some). ongoingsarcasm_

_ syfy allisonscag ongoingsarcasm netflix #Save Warehouse 13! #saveWarehouse13 #Warehouse13 #saveClaudiaDonovan_

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Alice's POV

The creature caught two of the clones and instantly, almost with no fight at all, ripped their heads from their bodies. Alice gasped. Her head swam with disgust and guilt and…grief. She opened the door to join the fight and Claire was pulling her back instantly.

"You can't! Alice, you're too weak!" the redhead pleaded.

Alice looked at her with sad eyes. "Claire, I can't just let them get slaughtered." She made an attempt to move again and the redhead's grip tightened. She pulled Alice forward and tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck. Alice shut her eyes tightly. "No, Claire." She shook her head. "I'm not a monster. I'm not going to feed off of you guys. If I keep doing that, then – then I'm no different than they are." Her eyes shifted to the countless undead still pouring through the fence.

The redhead wouldn't release her grip on Alice. "Don't Alice, please. I can't lose you."

Alice pried her arm from Claire's grip and got out of the hummer. She _was _weak. She could feel her body protesting at the movement, but she wasn't going to allow these copies of herself to be sacrifices. She had to do _something._ She registered Claire exiting the hummer and turned to meet her. If she had to knock the redhead unconscious, she would, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

The creature had already taken out three more of the clones when she glanced back. Janus was holding her own, but Alice knew that they really didn't stand a chance without her. They had powers, but they didn't have the powers that she had.

She watched as the creature grabbed Janus in its claws, teeth inches away from tearing out her throat.

Suddenly, the scent of fresh blood was strong in the air. She rounded on Claire to find the redhead holding a tactical knife. Warm blood was spilling from her wrist. Guilt surged inside of Alice. It was overwhelming and she shut her eyes tightly against the pain it caused to swell in her chest.

A loud shriek rang through the air and the Hunter darted toward the redhead, the scent of human blood had caught his attention. Alice moved in front of Claire to take the blow, but the creature bounced off of an unseen shield. Alice saw Janus focusing on holding the shield. Janus was staring intently at Claire with a look of mixed admiration and gratitude. It wasn't lost on the clone exactly what the redhead had just done for her. But Alice knew the shield wouldn't last long against the monster.

"You can go fight and we'll both die," Claire said stubbornly. "Or you can do something about this," she stated holding up her bleeding arm.

Alice shook her head sadly at the convoy leader, but stepped forward and pulled Claire's wrist to her mouth. She sucked vehemently at the gash, running her tongue across it to close it quickly. She could feel the strength rushing through her body. After one last pull, she shoved Claire back into the hummer and slammed the door. Claire's blood was _so strong._ Only the small amount she had taken stampeded through her system. She felt almost fully refreshed.

She slowly turned back to the fight. Two more clones lay dead on the ground. She sprinted toward the group, bounding into the air, pulling her kukris free and making a twisting motion that landed her just behind the giant creature. He spun around, sensing her superior blood. His battle cry was Earth shattering. Alice could feel the pressure of his scream against her body, as if she was being assaulted by his sound waves.

She narrowed her eyes and sent a blast of energy at the hunter. Aside from staggering the beast slightly, the blast had no effect on him. He lunged at Alice and wrapped his trunk-sized arms around her. She could feel the air leaving her body as she strained all of her muscles to keep him from crushing her.

Suddenly, two hands were wrapping around the creature's face, fingers pressing into his eyes, gouging through the soft tissue. His shriek was definitely one of pain this time. He released Alice and turned to find the source of his pain.

Alice saw Janus standing behind the monster, hands bloody and a savage grin on her face. The duster was hanging open and Alice could see the clone's muscles straining under her skin as she rained vicious blows down on the creature's face and chest.

Alice smiled. She tossed one of her kukris to Janus and the woman caught it without so much as a glance. She sliced at the hunter's neck but the beast caught her in the side with a beefy, clawed fist. Janus sailed through the air and landed a few yards away.

She was on her side, curled, and Alice could tell that the blow had injured her. She needed time to heal. She didn't have Alice's super fast healing; that had been a mutation she had succumbed to while she was in Canada.

Alice launched herself at the monster. She brought her blade down hard against the back up the creature's skull. Instead of slicing in, like she'd expected, the blade bounced off and her arm vibrated as if she had just struck an iron pole.

Once she had recovered from her shock, she sent an elbow into the creature's head, planting her foot in his back and propelling herself in a back flip away from the beast. She quickly glanced around her and noticed that the clones were still holding their own against the waves of infected that poured in the fence. "Cover the hole!" she shouted.

She watched as one of the clones broke away from the group and blasted the sea of undead away from the hole in the fence. She quickly had a shield in place. No more infected were getting in. Two more clones were at her back, keeping the flood of undead away from her as she focused.

Alice turned back to the creature. He had hold of one of the clones and was crushing her body in his arms. He took a large chuck of flesh from her throat. Alice ran toward them, but he released the clone and she fell to the desert floor, lifeless.

Alice could see the undead closing in around the hummer. "Guard Claire!" she yelled as she sprinted toward the creature once again. She vaguely saw the remaining clones surround the hummer, slaughtering the undead that were trying to get inside.

Alice assaulted the hunter again. It appeared he didn't have any need for his eyes, he knew exactly where she was by sense of smell alone. He clawed in her direction, barely missing the soft flesh of her stomach.

She landed a hard blow against his arm and felt the shockwaves cut through her body. His skin seemed to be getting tougher and tougher as the fight continued. She had an idea of why. She had to end this fight now, before he could take any more of her blood from the clones.

She had to get him away from the clones. She looked around desperate for anything that she could use as a weapon. Finally, she spotted one of the metal poles that had held the fence in place. She darted toward it and scooped it up. She twisted, carrying the momentum from the run and swung the large pole like a baseball bat right at the creature's face.

Metal connected with _metal_, but the force of the blow pushed the hunter backward a few steps. Alice spotted a warning sign for high voltage. _Bingo!_ She reared back and swung again, this time she focused on the pole as she swung, backing her physical efforts with the amazing power of her mind. The pole connected again and forced the creature back even more.

One more swing. Alice forced all of her physical strength into her arms as the pole sliced through the air on its way to its target. She forced her focus to bolster the swing, making it go faster, pulling energy from the air around her and coercing it to reinforce the metal. The pole found its target, and the creature was thrown backward into the air.

He flew back and into the transformers that were providing power to what appeared to be the water treatment facility. White-blue sparks erupted and engulfed his convulsing body. The force of electricity exploding through his body caused him to sail into the air.

The hunter was thrown backward, landing awkwardly on the surface of the metal grating covering the water treatment facility's exhaust pipe. His foot lodged between the iron slats, slipping in at an odd angle. He tugged his foot forcefully and Alice could hear the metal groaning against his strength, but after the electrical shock, his strength was waning.

This was her chance. The creature was pinned by the metal grating. He may be strong, but he wasn't strong enough to break the solid iron grip that the grating had on his foot.

Alice forced the heat into her eyes. The burn was excruciating, but it was the only way she knew to call up the new power that K-Mart's blood had given her. She would have to work with this new ability in more depth later, to find out a way to utilize it without the pain.

She focused her gaze on the creature's chest as he eyed her, still arrogant in his assumption that he was closing in for the kill. She forced the heat to grow and focused it outward and into his iron-like skin.

If the monster felt any pain from her actions, he didn't show it, so she focused on pushing the heat further into his flesh. She could see the skin in the middle of his chest start to glow a dull reddish-orange. She focused on the spot and urged the heat to rise.

Then, still focused on his chest, she sprinted toward him, full speed. Her fist made contact with the creature's chest and she felt his iron flesh give underneath her strike.

There was pain. Lots of pain. Piercing, agonizing pain in her hand as the bones shattered and splintered into the surrounding flesh. The skin on her hand was bathed in liquid heat and she felt it beginning to melt away. The burn was so intense it brought tears to her eyes. It continued to grow until she couldn't feel pain any longer. Finally, the fire had singed the nerves. She continued to put all of her strength into the punch and her lifeless hand plunged forward piercing the creature's heart.

She looked at the monster's face and watched the life fade from him. She pulled her hand from his chest and he tumbled to the desert floor. The flesh was scorched from her fingers and she could see the muscles wrapped haphazardly around the splintered shards of bone. Just to be certain, she un-holstered her shotgun and jammed the barrel into the creature's eye socket. The loud bang that followed seemed to overpower all of the low moans that were still coming from the sea of undead outside the fence.

She looked around her at the bodies that littered the ground. She had felt every one of their deaths inside of her. A little piece of her had broken loose, and withered away when each clone had fallen. Now as she scanned their lifeless forms, she was overwhelmed by the grief that losing these women had caused. Part of her had died with them. It was a familiar feeling. She remembered having felt it in the desert before she had met up with Claire's convoy. She knew now that those dreams and those feelings had most likely been sparked by one of these clones dying at the hands of Dr. Isaacs. The thought made her see red.

She tilted back her head and screamed at the sky. It was unhinged emotion. It was pain and fury. It was audible fire, scorching anyone who heard it. She screamed until her throat was raw and her lungs were aching. She screamed until she had to suck a fresh breath of air into her sore lungs. And then she screamed again.

It wasn't until she realized that her screams were being matched that she silenced herself. Another scream. She looked around and narrowed her eyes at the sound. She was horrified to see two more of the hunters rushing toward them, almost three miles out.

Janus turned toward her. "There's a small town just under a hundred miles north of here. I'll come find you in a day. If I don't come, then get the hell away from this place."

Alice shook her head. "I can't leave you guys here to be sacrifices. I can't just let you die!"

Janus looked at her with sad eyes. "Alice, you and I both know we were never supposed to live in the first place. Take them!" She looked pointedly at the redhead. "She's special, and you know it. Get them out of here before they die!"

Alice nodded and pulled her mirror image in for a tight embrace. She ran to the driver's side of the hummer and climbed into the back seat. "Go north," she whispered as calmly as she could. Claire slammed the hummer in gear and tore away from the facility, slinging sand out in a spray behind them, headed north.

Alice looked out the back window to see one of the hunters chasing them. The beast faltered briefly when he caught the scent of the clones. It seemed he was having a tough time deciding who to go after.

Alice shut her eyes tightly, fingernails of her good hand digging into the flesh of her own thighs. The virus was crashing through her veins, urging her to fight, to kill, to _feed_.

Her skin was tingling and her muscles were straining against her skin in the effort she was making to calm herself down. She clenched her teeth, gnashing them together until her jaw was aching. Suddenly, of their own accord, her eyes snapped open and she locked onto the delicate flesh of the convoy leader's throat. She could taste it, that warm, sweet blood that flowed through the redhead's veins. She knew the flavor well now. Her eyes shifted to K-Mart in the passenger seat. She inhaled deeply and could smell the girl's fear. It tainted her blood with a delicious scent that Alice longed to taste. She shook her head, briefly snapping out of her blood lust.

How was she supposed to get Claire and K-Mart away from the danger, when _she_ had just become the danger?

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_A/N: Well aren't we all up shit creek without a paddle? Do you think Alice can hold her bloodlust off for long enough to reach the town? Only two chapters left guys, it's been a fun ride! Thanks again for sticking with me :-D_

_Review Responses:_

_123a456e – Haha, there has to be a new bad thing. It's an action story ;-) Thanks for the review!_

_kluve – Yeah, I've been in a bit of a block ever since I found out they were cancelling Warehouse 13. I think we should start a movement to have it UNcancelled. I wonder if I got all of my followers to tweet to syfy and say #SaveWarehouse13 if it'd make a difference ;-) True, Claire and Alice haven't really found themselves yet. But they do, I promise. :-)_

_mickelus – hahaha you saw it coming! But I bet you didn't expect that from Claire huh? _

_OnyxTemplar – Haha, nope. Hunter circa 1996 in the original RE game for PS. Nasty bitch. Really hard to kill. ;-) I separated Alice/Claire because while the clones are physically capable of taking down Umbrella, they don't have all of Alice's knowledge about the company. She stacked up a few years worth of intel between when the clones were made and now. That type of info can't just be passed on verbally. You really need Alice there for the quick thinking take-down._

_poynton90 – Thanks for the review! Yep Hunter WAS pissed! But now Hunter is dead… ;-) You know one down, two to go ;-)_

_PrincessLia – Oh yeah, one of my favorite B.O.W.s of all times. I had to pay homage. It took me days to beat the very first hunter ;-) Hey go easy on K-Mart, she was just trying to let Alice know that her clone had a name that wasn't a letter ;-)_

_Kungfu Kia – I'm so glad you liked it! I put a lot of work into the action sequences of these last two chapters. Had to replay the game to see how the hunter moved and such. Nope Janus is still alive and well… for now ;-)_

_DalekSec-kmz – LMAO yeah I tried to put as much in as I could. You know cliffies are my specialty ;-) it's how I keep you guys coming back each week :-D I hope this chapter didn't let you down! I know you were anxiously waiting for it. _


	26. Chapter 26

_Review Responses:_

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

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K-Mart's POV

"K-Mart, I need you to help Alice." Claire's voice broke the silence in the hummer.

K-Mart gulped. "W-what?" She looked in the back seat at Alice. Her eyes were tightly shut; her body was rigid, temples and jaw muscles pulsing. Her fingernails were digging into her own knees, knuckles white with strain.

K-Mart could see the fresh, new, pinkish skin on Alice's left hand where she had already begun to heal from the fight. She focused on the sight until Claire answered.

"K-Mart, she's been struggling for almost an hour. I'm driving. It has to be you." The redhead's face was hard, as if she knew exactly what she was asking of K-Mart, and regretted every second of it.

"Can't we pull over? I mean, I can drive," K-mart pleaded.

"There's no time. Those things were right on our heels, and you saw how fast they were. I'm already going well below the speed that I should be going, but I don't want to waste gas, just in case. Stopping is too risky, we don't know if the clones will be able to hold them off." She flashed the teen an apologetic smile as K-Mart climbed over the seat and into the back.

"Hey Alice," the girl started. "Wanna hear a joke?"

"K-Mart, that's not going to work and you know it." Claire snapped from the front. She knew the redhead wasn't angry with her, but the convoy leader was nearly hysterical with everything that was going on.

K-Mart did know it wouldn't work. She knew what she had to do; she had seen Claire _take care_ of Alice before, and it's not like she minded. She'd wanted to touch the woman from the first time she saw Alice, arms stretched out behind her, skin bathed in the flames that roared over her head, and then later, sleeping on the counter of the Red Dog Saloon. But here? With Claire in the front seat hearing everything and maybe even watchingthrough the rear view mirror? She gulped audibly. _Karma really is a bitch,_ she thought dolefully, then mentally chided herself for the swearword.

Alice's breath was coming in short puffs and her eyes were open now, staring out the windshield, unfocused. K-Mart watched as the blue-green irises slowly started to give way to Alice's dilating pupils.

Claire must have been watching in the mirror because she started barking orders. "Now K-Mart," her voice was nearing frantic. "You have to do something, now!"

K-Mart straddled Alice's lap and the older woman's hands immediately clamped onto the blonde's hips. Her near black eyes blinked rapidly before gaining a bit of their color back and focusing on the girl in front of her. K-Mart watched, rapt, as recognition dawned on Alice's face and her eyes darkened, pupils swelling again until almost all of the color was gone. Terrified, the girl leaned forward and captured the taller woman's lips.

Alice didn't give the teenager time to ease into things; her fingers threaded through blonde hair and she forcefully plunged her tongue into K-Mart's mouth. Alice's kiss was _much_ different than Claire's had been. The redhead was soft and gentle, almost treating K-Mart as if she were made of glass. Alice's fingers tugged at her hair convincingly, maneuvering the girl's head to the position she wanted, and her tongue invaded the depths of K-Mart's mouth.

K-Mart's eyes went wide as Alice licked the roof of her mouth. _God, _this_ is what I left Claire feeling in the hummer that day? _ She immediately felt guilty for working the redhead up and then leaving her. The feeling of Alice's tongue caressing the roof of her mouth was excruciatingly divine.

Alice's fingers dug into her hips painfully and she let out a sharp cry. Alice just tightened her grip and pulled the blonde forward grinding her hips downward into her own. The buckle of her belt was burrowing uncomfortably into K-Mart's pelvic bone. K-Mart tried to pull away. "Alice, please," she whimpered into the older woman's mouth.

Alice was too far-gone to register her pain, so she took matters into her own hands. She reached down and began unbuckling the woman's belt.

The older woman's hand slipped under the hem of her shirt and trailed up between her shoulder blades. She raked her nails down the young blonde's back.

K-Mart sucked in a sharp breath and tried to pull away again; it only caused her hips to push forward into Alice. The older woman pulled out of the kiss and smirked. "Like two peas in a pod aren't you," Alice growled, pulling K-Mart's shirt up and over her head. K-Mart knew Alice was referring to her and Claire. Somehow the older woman had mistaken her cries of pain for pleasure.

Alice leaned forward and pressed open-mouthed kisses down the column of K-Mart's throat. The blonde couldn't help the moan that tore from her lips this time, and she tilted her head back to give Alice more space. Sharp teeth nipped at her sensitive flesh. Alice, it seemed, could never keep anything gentle.

When Alice reached her collarbones, the woman's tongue darted out to trace a line across her chest.

Even this seemingly tender motion caused terror to stir inside of the blonde. Her body was shaking almost violently as Alice reached behind her and unhooked her bra. Alice's calloused fingers pulled the straps down her shoulders until the blonde's breasts were exposed.

K-Mart looked down shyly. She wanted to cover herself, shield her secret places from the older woman's savage eyes, but she let the bra fall to the floorboard of the hummer, frightened of what Alice would do if she tried to hide.

Alice didn't move. She sat there with her hands tightly gripping the girl's hips, her dark blue-green eyes locked on the pale flesh of K-Mart's small breasts. _Blue-green eyes._ She looked like Alice again. K-Mart gave the woman a tentative smile and Alice returned it, almost shyly. Finally, she had Alice back.

The young blonde threaded her fingers into Alice's unruly hair and pulled the woman forward into her chest. She could feel the older woman grin into her skin before turning her head slightly and nuzzling the underside of K-Mart's breast with her nose. "Oh. Alice," she whispered into the woman's hair. She felt Alice shudder against her.

The older woman gently took K-Mart's nipple into her cool mouth. The feeling was unbelievable. Alice's icy tongue circled her delicate skin, teasing the pink nub into a hard point. K-Mart felt the older woman's teeth scrape against her nipple and her body shuddered fiercely.

K-Mart reached down, fingers fumbling with her own belt buckle when Alice's hands halted her progress. "K, we don't have to do this. I'm okay now. I – I think I can manage," Alice whispered so only the girl could hear.

K-Mart stared into Alice's blue-green eyes as she popped the button open and unzipped her pants. She leaned forward until her lips were at Alice's ear. "You don't want to?" It was an innocent question, but as K-Mart pulled away she saw the torrent of desire in the older woman's eyes.

She stared intensely into those eyes as she guided Alice's slender fingers down the front of her pants and pushed her hips forward.

Both women moaned at the feeling of Alice's rough fingers slipping in between the wet folds of K-Mart's cloth-covered sex.

K-Mart grabbed onto Alice's shoulders. "What should I do now?"

The older woman grinned at her. "How about you do whatever feels good to you, and I'll just follow along," she whispered, pushing her fingers against K-Mart more firmly.

K-Mart tightened her grip on Alice's shoulders and nodded, rolling her hips forward again. She could feel the older woman's hand pressed against her, unmoving, so she moved her hips in a motion that made the rough pads of Alice's fingers slide against her clit.

She continued rocking against Alice's hand for a few minutes, feeling the pressure build in the pit of her stomach. She wanted more. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around the older woman's neck and pressing her bare chest to Alice's. The course material of Alice's shirt rubbed against her hard nipples each time she rolled her hips.

K-Mart moaned, a low, throaty sound from her chest, as Alice threaded her fingers through the blonde's hair and tugged lightly. Then, her fingernails were dragging down the girl's back again, much more pleasurably this time. "Alice, please." She repeated her earlier plea, only this time, she was pleading for the exact opposite. For Alice _not _to stop.

She began to move her hips in a circular motion and it made Alice's fingers treat her clit in kind. It felt _so_ good, but she wanted more.

"Uhng! Alice, please," she moaned brashly. "Inside me." She had almost forgotten where they were until she heard Claire clear her throat loudly in the front seat. Her voice dropped back down to a whisper. "Please go inside me."

Alice's eyes locked on hers and she nodded almost imperceptibly. Her free hand crawled up K-Mart's chest and she cupped a breast forcefully, but not painfully. She toyed with the pink nipple, rolling it between her fingers, tugging softly.

Alice pushed her other hand further into K-Mart's pants and the girl could tell that it was an awkward angle for her. The older woman's hand left her breast and began untying K-Mart's boot. K-Mart understood what Alice meant to do and started to untie her other boot, pushing it off and into the floorboard. Once both boots were off, K-Mart lifted herself onto her knees and pushed her pants down around her thighs.

Alice helped push the pants down the blonde's legs, and they quickly joined the rest of K-Mart's clothing.

Now with better access, Alice cupped K-Mart's center. Her fingers pushed against K-Mart, on the outside of her panties. She pushed the fabric into the slick crevices of her sex and the feeling of the damp cloth against her clit made K-Mart moan again. "Alice, please," she repeated her plea. Her voice sounded desperate and needy to her own ears.

Finally, Alice pulled K-Mart's panties off, but she didn't toss them on top of the pile of clothes. Instead, she brought the damp material up to K-Mart's mouth and pushed it against her lips. The blonde's eyes were wide as she regarded the other woman curiously, but she didn't deny Alice's insistent fingers; she took the cloth willingly. _Just like Claire had._ She shivered.

"We don't want you distracting Claire while she's driving." Alice smirked

Alice circled the girl's slippery entrance. She pushed the tips of two fingers inside, keeping the penetration superficial. K-Mart ground her hips downward in an attempt to push the digits deeper inside of her and Alice grinned at the girl. "In a hurry?" she teased, a wicked glint in her playful eyes.

K-Mart ground downward again, groaning in frustration as again, Alice pulled her fingers away.

Alice's grin widened and she finally pushed inside. "O. Ghowd. Yesh," K-Mart mumbled around the cloth in her mouth, tentatively moving her hips to test the older woman's fingers. Alice pulled out almost entirely, before pushing back in at a slow pace. Her thumb came up to brush gently against K-Mart's clit and the blonde's hips jerked forward involuntarily.

As K-Mart's breath got heavier and heavier, Alice continued to speed up her movements. The older woman leaned forward and captured K-Mart's ear between her cool lips. The sensation was almost normal to K-Mart's brain by now, but it still caused violent reactions from her body. Her hips slammed forward into Alice and her fingers threaded through unruly hair, tugging hard, desperately trying to pull the woman away from her ear, or to pull her closer. She couldn't tell.

Her mind and body were at war. She could feel Alice's fingers moving more easily inside of her and knew it was because she had just provided the woman with more than enough lubrication to move freely. Alice's tongue was still slithering in and out of the canal of her ear and her vision was starting to blur.

Alice's fingers assaulted her from the inside, pressing against a place in her that was threatening to unhinged her completely. The pressure inside of her had built up to explosive levels. Alice's rough thumb circled K-Mart's clit one last time before she was tumbling into oblivion. She clamped her teeth together, grinding against the musky material in her mouth. Her body convulsed as she silently came, staring into Alice's eyes the entire time.

Alice smiled. "On second thought," she pulled the panties out of the girl's mouth and dropped them to the floor. "I think I'd much rather hear you screaming."

K-Mart's eyes widened when she realized that the older woman wasn't finished with her.

She squeezed her thighs against Alice's hips and a sharp pain tore through her leg. She cried out and looked down to see the tip of Alice's tactical knife digging into her thigh. The image made her remember the last time she had had her legs wrapped around Alice's hips. "Well at least I know were the cut came from in Vegas," she whispered, pulling away and removing Alice's knife from the sheath.

Alice grabbed the cheeks of K-Mart's ass and hoisted the girl up until her shins were resting on the older woman's shoulders. K-Mart's hot center pressed into Alice's face as the girl's hands gripped the back of the taller woman's head for support. One of Alice's hands continued to hold the blonde's hips while the other trailed up her spine, holding K-Mart steady against her parted lips. She turned her head and lapped at the blood trickling from K-Mart's thigh, – barely a few drops – running her tongue over the wound to close it. Then she buried her face in between K-Mart's legs.

Alice's tongue lapped furiously at the girl's center, pushing in and seeking out her clit. K-Mart could see her own blood on Alice's tongue and the sight made her moan loudly. Her hands left the back of Alice's head and pushed against the roof of the hummer instead. She ground her hips forward into the older woman's face, smearing her wetness against Alice's lips and chin. Alice moaned into her heated sex and the vibration of the noise was like a sonar wave that tore through K-Mart's body setting everything on fire before it bounced back carrying all of that heat, right back down to her core. It sent chills straight through the girl's spine.

She could only imagine the show she was giving Claire at the moment, but she couldn't be bothered with thoughts of decency as Alice's lips closed around her clit and the older woman began sucking in earnest.

K-Mart continued grinding against Alice's tongue, breathy, staccato cries leaving her lips with every thrust. She knew she was being loud. _Too _loud and she could _feel_ the convoy leader's eyes burning into her back. She threw her head back and screamed as Alice gently bit her throbbing clit, then pushed her tongue into K-Mart's entrance as far as it would go, lapping at the walls of her core.

Her orgasm shredded through her body; her blood was liquid fire. Every muscle in her seized up and then shuddered violently as she pushed her hips forward with quick, faltering jerks. She felt hot liquid flow from her body and for a second, she was mortified at the thought that she had lost control of her bladder. But it wasn't that. This came from somewhere else. Somewhere deeper, more primal, and she could feel Alice's lips close around her entrance, drinking in everything.

The feeling sent K-Mart into another climax, or continued the one she was already in, she didn't know. All she knew was that her brain was shutting down as her body was coming even more alive. White spots danced in front of her eyes as she tried to steady her thoughts. She was determined _not _to let what happened with Claire happen again – it had been _so_ embarrassing. So she sucked in a deep breath, forcing herself to keep breathing.

Alice's mouth released her and she felt herself sliding down the older woman's body. When she was straddling Alice's hips, strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her into the hard, muscled torso in front of her. Alice was whispering soothing, nonsensical words into her ear as her hand slowly trailed up and down the blonde's slick back.

She tucked her face into Alice's neck and gently bit the skin as her body shivered, still charged with the electricity of her orgasm.

She pulled away slightly until she could look into Alice's eyes. The older woman's chin was glistening with moisture, and before she could even think about what she was doing, she leaned forward and licked Alice's face clean. Alice's eyes were wild with lust and she grabbed the back of K-Mart's head, pulling her in for a heated kiss. K-Mart kissed down the older woman's jawline and tucked her face back into the crook of Alice's neck where she rested.

"Well that deserves a cigarette," Alice chuckled, pulling the pack of Marlboro Reds from her bag, settling one between her red, swollen lips, lighting the tip, and breathing in deeply.

K-Mart grinned into the older woman's neck. "Yeah, if only I smoked."

Alice pulled K-Mart away and cupped her cheek gently with one hand. The other hand brought the cigarette to her lips again and she inhaled the thick smoke into her lungs. Finally, the older woman leaned in toward the blonde.

K-Mart's hands went to undo the button of Alice's pants and slide inside, but the older woman stopped her when she had just barely managed to get her fingertips under the waistband of Alice's underwear.

Alice's lips brushed against K-Mart's, her hand still holding the girl's fingers inches from her center. She didn't kiss the blonde; her parted lips remained painfully close, yet the older woman held her ground. When Alice began to exhale, K-Mart breathed in the hot, slightly acrid smoke flowing from Alice's lips in a thick, opaque stream. She felt the burn in her lungs for the first time. She wanted to cough, but didn't dare. Suddenly, Alice's lips were closing over hers and she was pushing the smoke deep into the girl's lungs. K-Mart exhaled through her nose and a cloud of smoke surrounded them.

Alice kissed her deeply before pulling away and tossing the pack of cigarettes into the front seat beside the redhead. K-Mart turned in the seat to find Claire's eyes focused on her in the mirror. "Great," the redhead smirked. "Now K-Mart's going to be fighting me for my cigarettes."

* * *

_A/N: Well, now that that's finished, I think I need to go – um – take care of something… and a cigarette…I need a cigarette…_

_Review Responses: _

_PrincessLia – Hey now, don't write Janus off so quickly. I'm not THAT mean. I kind of like her ;-) It's not like I'm George R. R. Martin here or anything. Sequel is coming fast. Hope you're prepared ;-)_

_mickelus – Looks like K-Mart saves the day this time ;-) I'm glad you're still enjoying the story!_

_OnyxTemplar – Everybody is always trying to write Janus off. She's smart, and pretty damn good at fighting things. She may have been caught off guard once, but now that she knows what she's up against. I figure she'll fair pretty well._

_poynton90 – hahaha well to each their own. I enjoy writing all of it. Action, love, sex, betrayal. It's all so fun to write. I'm glad you're still enjoying. _

_alex dee – Oh Alice is pretty damn good at holding herself in control. She just needs a little help sometimes ;-)_

_123a456e – Hahaha, awww I wouldn't let Alice attack Claire and K-Mart. At least not in this story. Maybe in the sequel. ;-)_


	27. Chapter 27

_Review Responses:_

_At the end._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or storyline from Resident Evil. Just the thoughts swirling around my head that Alice and Claire are perfect for each other..._

_A/N: Sorry I'm late guys. I totally forgot yesterday was Friday :-/ Crazy day. Anyway, the final chapter for RE: Reconstruction. I've enjoyed the journey, and hope that at least a few of you have had as much fun reading as I have writing. Stay tuned; it's far from over. :-)_

* * *

Claire's POV

They had made it to the town in record time. The three of them sat in the hummer, ready to tear off at any moment just in case the hunter had managed to follow them at a distance. Finally, right before dark, Janus had dropped out of the sky in one of the black Umbrella helicopters.

"You're looking a little worse for the wear," Alice said dryly as her clone approached. Claire could see what the older woman was referring to. The clone obviously didn't heal as quickly as Alice did and the gash in her forehead was still trickling a thin stream of blood down the side of the woman's face. Bruises covered her body in angry, purpling smudges. Claire could see a trail of blood running down the woman's leg as well. From where, she didn't know.

The woman smirked at Alice. "Yeah and you're a regular spring rose, covered in dew. You look like hell Alice, what happened? Haven't you eaten anything?"

Alice shook her head. "Haven't really felt like it."

Claire frowned. She had been concerned about Alice's lack of appetite, but the older woman had assured her that she was fine. Now, seeing the concerned look on Janus's face, that worry resurfaced. She went back to the hummer to find something that Alice could eat. She would force the woman if she had to.

She dug around in the pack until she found a protein bar and some powdered Gatorade. She poured the drink mix into Alice's canteen and shook it up. Then she walked back to the pair and held the items out to Alice with a stern look on her face.

"I'm not hungry, Claire. I'll eat something when I feel like it." Alice turned back to Janus, but Claire grabbed her by the shoulder.

She put her best pouty face on. She knew she probably looked ridiculous. She wasn't made for pouting, but when she saw Alice's face soften, she played it up. "Alice, please eat this, for me."

The older woman took the protein bar and canteen from Claire. "Fine," she said, ripping open the package and taking a bite of the peanut butter flavored bar. She scrunched up her face immediately at the taste. "Mmmm," she swallowed and smiled at Claire.

The redhead glared at Alice's obvious sarcasm. She looked at Janus and the clone snickered. "You're so p-whipped, Alice."

Alice choked on the dry, pasty mush. She opened her canteen and took a long swing. "Goes down smooth," she whispered, throat still raw from coughing.

Claire caught the glare Alice sent in the clone's direction, but she couldn't help but smirk at the clone's comment. She lifted a brow at the clone. "Care to explain?"

Janus grinned. "Oh come on Claire. You already know that Alice would do absolutely _anything_ for you."

Alice kicked the clone's shin, glaring at the woman.

"Ouch! What?" Janus asked. "She already knows that!"

Alice narrowed her eyes. "Yeah? Does K-Mart know about your little – _crush?_"

Claire's eyes widened. "Wait just a second." She shook her head trying to take in all of the information. "You have a thing for K-Mart?"

The clone shrugged. "She's cute."

The redhead covered her face with her hands, gently rubbing the bridge of her nose with her index fingers. She didn't really know how to react to the new information. Finally, she looked at Janus. "_Does_ K-Mart know?"

The clone nodded. "I think so yeah. I made it pretty obvious at the Umbrella facility, but she made it very obvious that she has no interest in me. She violently shoved me away and yelled at me about manners."

Claire frowned. That didn't really sound like K-Mart at all. "Why'd she shove you?"

Janus grinned. "Apparently you're supposed to _ask_ before kissing someone."

Alice guffawed, but Claire didn't find the new information a bit funny. "You _kissed_ K-Mart?! Why did you? Why would you do that? I can't believe you pushed yourself onto her!"

Janus balked at Claire's anger. "Hey she kissed me back!"

Claire's anger drained and was replaced by a new feeling. Hurt? Betrayal? Jealousy? "She – she kissed you?" She couldn't disguise the hurt in her voice.

Janus's voice softened. "Yeah, well until she shoved me away and yelled at me." Her eyes looked down shyly.

"K-Mart has always kept a tight hold on her emotions around strangers," Claire explained. Then she looked at Alice. "Well until this one came around. Give her time. She may warm up to you." Though Claire didn't know how she felt about that possibility, she wouldn't hold K-Mart back if the girl decided to open up to the clone.

Janus smiled as she looked back to where the blonde was leaning against the hummer.

Alice took Claire's hand and led her away from the other two women. "We're going back to the Umbrella facility in the morning. I'm going to wake the rest of the clones and take half of them with me. The other half are going to stay with the White Queen and work on a cure. We're going to bring Umbrella down Claire. I promise." She took Claire's other hand. "You and K-Mart take the helicopter to Alaska. Find Arcadia. Find the others."

"I can't convince you to come with us?" Claire asked the older woman softly. She didn't want to be separated from Alice. She may be the product of an Umbrella experiment, but she had saved the redhead's life on multiple occasions now. Claire had not only grown fond of her, but had also come to rely on Alice as a sort of confidant. Who else would be able to understand her complicated feelings toward K-Mart, accept them, and not judge her. Who else would know what the weight of having countless people depending on her felt like?

She had also, over the course of their short time, come to care deeply for the enigmatic woman.

Alice shook her head. "You know I don't want to leave you guys alone, but I _have _to take down Umbrella, Claire. This will never end unless somebody takes them down."

Claire wanted to argue. She wanted to ask why it had to be Alice, but she remained silent. She knew why. No one else would even stand a chance against Umbrella.

"You'll come find us? When you're done, you'll come find us right?" She knew she sounded pathetic, but she didn't care at the moment. The mask of strength she held in front of the convoy had melted away. She didn't need it for Alice. The older woman would have seen right through it anyway.

Alice stared into her eyes. "You know I'll try."

Claire could feel her fiery temper flare. "That's not good enough Alice. Promise me. Promise me you'll come find us. I can't – I can't lose you now." Her eyes burned into the older woman's blue-green eyes, searching her face.

Alice's lips twitched and curled up at the ends in a timid smile. "I promise Claire. I'll come find you."

Claire wanted nothing more than to press against Alice. To feel the older woman's hard body against hers. To feel Alice's rough hands and lips on her skin. But she could feel the eyes of the other two women on her.

"Alice," she whispered. "This could be our only chance – to be with each other, outside of blood lust. Outside of someone dying. I – I want you. I _need_ to feel this one more time. To feel you."

Alice looked torn. "Claire," she began. "What's going on with us? I mean," she shook her head. "You? Me? K-Mart? What's going on? I know you love her; what – what am I? Where do I fit into this equation?"

Claire took a deep breath; she knew this would come up eventually. She didn't have any better idea of what was going on, but it was time to lay it all on the line. "I don't know Alice. I love K-Mart, I really do, but everything inside of me is drawn to you. Everything is telling me that I'm meant to – _be with you,_ her mind screamed_ –_ have you in my life. Please Alice, I can't let you just walk out of my life again. I _need _something to remember you by. Something to hang on to and take with me."

Alice smiled in that sad way Claire had grown used to. "Of course." She nodded at Janus and motioned for her to join them. "Claire and I are – we're going to clear one of these houses, look for supplies. Can you and K-Mart keep guard? If there's trouble, just fire shots, I'll come running."

Claire could see the silent communication pass between the two women before the clone smirked. "Sure Alice, you go have _all_ the fun. I'll wait here with the girl who won't even look at me," she huffed.

Claire's eyes sought out K-Mart. She was leaned against the hummer cleaning out from under her fingernails with a tactical knife. The redhead smiled. She really did love that girl, but what had she gotten herself into?

She walked up to the blonde and took her by the hand.

"Claire, you don't have to baby me," K-Mart teased the older woman. "I understand. Go on."

She shook her head at the blonde. When had K-Mart grown up so much? "When did you grow up, K?" she asked softly.

K-Mart grinned. "When you were busy pushing my hands away determined that I was still a fourteen-year-old girl."

Claire smiled. "We won't be too long K. Then we'll be off to find the others." She smiled at the girl.

"Take the time you need." K-Mart nodded and Claire made her way back toward Alice and Janus. She took Alice by the hand and led her to the closest house, guns drawn. Once they were sure they were _alone_, she pulled the woman over to the bed. "I don't want to think about the fact that I may never see you again, but – but it's a very real possibility isn't it?"

Alice remained quiet for a few moments. "Claire, I don't know what's going to happen. Thankfully, seeing the future hasn't been added to my personal repertoire…yet. But yes, there is a damn good chance that they will catch me, and an even greater chance that they will kill me."

She said it so casually, as if she, as a person, meant nothing. As if her life had been forfeit the moment she had bonded with the T-Virus. Claire felt that lump in her throat again and swallowed it down. She promised herself she wouldn't cry. She needed to be strong; she needed to show Alice that she could make it, so that the older woman would come find them when she was finished with Umbrella.

She closed her eyes when she felt Alice's cool hands on her face, fingers tickling at her jawline before trailing down her neck. One hand rested on her chest and confused her a bit until she realized that Alice was feeling for her heartbeat.

"You know, before you, I wasn't even sure if my heart was still functioning," the older woman confessed. "I was terrified to check for it, afraid of what I would find – or I guess what I wouldn't find. When we kissed – when I felt you respond – was the first time I felt my heart, beating wildly out of control in my chest. It really was as if you had brought me back to life."

Claire mirrored Alice's position, and the two sat there, for what seemed like hours, just feeling the rhythmic beating of each of the other's heart. But Claire's free hand finally came to meet the older woman's face. She trailed her fingers delicately across Alice's forehead, eyebrows, and nose. She traced the outline of her lips and cheekbones. Dragged her nails softly across her jawline. She stared deeply into Alice's blue-green eyes and forced all of the emotion she could muster into her stare. "Alice I – I love you so much."

Alice stiffened at the words and her eyes widened. Claire could feel the increase of her heart, and she smiled softly. "How could you ever love something like me Claire?"

Claire gave the woman a half-smile. "I could easily love some _one_ like you Alice. You're passionate, kind, and caring. You have the face of an angel and you drive me absolutely crazy physically. But even more than all of that, you make me feel safe. Like you would never let anything hurt me. Like nothing bad could ever happen while I was in your arms."

Alice scooted back until she could lean back against the headboard. She pulled Claire into her and the redhead could feel strong, cool arms wrap around her. "You want something to remember me by?" Alice asked softly.

Claire nodded, her head brushing against Alice's neck. "I want to memorize every dip and curve of your body Alice. I want your skin mapped into my hands, so that when you find me again, I'll remember everything. How to touch you. How you taste. How you smell. I don't want to forget anything."

She could feel Alice smile into her hair. The older woman inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent. "Alice," she whispered, not at all sure how she was going to ask this question.

"Mmhm," Alice responded, lost in the scent of Claire.

"Did you – like – the way I tasted?" She could feel the blood rushing to her face and she shut her eyes tightly. When she felt Alice shaking behind her in silent laughter, she quickly added, "my blood I mean."

Alice's laughter stopped abruptly. She traced the faded scar on Claire's shoulder with rough, but gentle fingertips. Claire could feel her take a deep, steadying breath. "Claire, if someone told me that I could taste your blood again, but afterward, I would never be able to have food again, and that I would slowly starve to death. I wouldn't even hesitate saying yes."

Claire sucked in a quick breath. She hadn't expected a response like that. She had had at least a slight impression that Alice had enjoyed the taste of her blood, but nothing so much as what the older woman had just alluded to.

"Does that scare you?" Alice's voice was calm, but there was a hint of something just under the surface. _Fear? Concern?_

"No," she answered simply.

She felt Alice's hands moving to the buckle of her belt and she grinned, but her teeth tugged at her lip and her brows drew together. "Wait," she whispered, halting the older woman's hands. "It's my turn."

She turned in Alice's arms, taking the older woman's legs and gently dragging Alice down on the bed. She removed the holsters and sheaths first, setting them on the bedside table well within reach. Then Alice's shorts followed.

The older woman's body was revealed to her bit by bit, every part even more beautiful than the next. As she pulled Alice's tank top off, she gasped at the sight of her thick, dark nipples already stiff with need. She moaned as she thought about how they would feel in her mouth.

She didn't wonder for long before she leaned forward and captured a nipple in her mouth, sucking gently at first, but quickly becoming more aggressive. She basked in the sounds that Alice made, memorizing each sound that went with a different stroke of her tongue, or press of her fingers.

* * *

They made love for hours, but their time together was too short. As she pressed against Alice once again, the older woman halted her wandering hands. "You and K-Mart need to go Claire. The sun will be coming up soon, and you're going to need as much daylight as you can to get as far away as possible."

Claire nodded. She knew that she needed to leave. She knew. But that knowledge didn't make it any easier. They exited the house to find Janus sitting on the front steps, K-Mart curled into her side, head resting on the clone's shoulder. Sound asleep.

"Guess she warmed up to you again," Alice teased. Janus just smiled, not wanting to wake the blonde. Claire noticed that Janus's wounds had been treated. "K-Mart fix you up?"

Janus nodded. "Yeah, she's – very gentle."

Claire smirked as K-Mart stirred from her sleep. "Stop talking about me. I can hear you." She looked up at the women with eyes that didn't pack as much punch as she probably would have liked. All three women chuckled at the girl. They made their way over to the helo and Claire climbed on board.

Janus stood beside Alice. "The tank's full. There are two reserves, so you should only need to refuel once, twice at the most. I marked on your kneeboard the best places to check for fuel."

Claire stared at Alice as she prepared the helicopter. The woman seemed distant, almost forlorn. She watched, almost heartbroken as Alice handed K-Mart the red journal about Arcadia. "You're not coming?" She heard the distress in the younger girl's voice as she finally pieced together Claire's mood and Alice's somber eyes.

Alice shook her head. "Take care of the others." K-Mart nodded, she looked on the verge of tears. Claire couldn't blame the girl; she could feel the burn behind her eyes as well. Alice gave her one last look – her face full of _goodbye_ – and rendered a casual salute. It took everything that Claire had not to jump out of that helicopter and throw herself into the older woman's arms again. Where she felt safe. Would she ever have that feeling again?

She yanked up on the collective and the helo jerked off the ground into some semblance of a hover. Had she known just how much the automated flight control system was helping stabilize the aircraft, she might not have been so proud of herself. She watched Alice's form get smaller and smaller as the space between them grew. She wished a silent _good luck_ to the woman, before a further pull on the collective and a forward lean of the control stick sent her hurtling at 160 miles per hour, away from the woman she loved.

* * *

_A/N: Well kids, it's been real, but we've reached the ending. Hope you enjoyed the ride. Don't worry though; I've already started the sequel ;-)_

_Review Responses:_

_OnyxTemplar - **Raises hand and jumps around yelling pick me pick me** I knew Alice was a kinky bitch. I did! I promise! She didn't surprise me. :-D I mean, what's a redhead to do really? We can't just pull the car over and risk getting flayed alive for a quick booty call. Next best thing? Real live car porn duh! I wouldn't say no to it. I'd say, Hey, go wild. Do me proud kid. And then at the end I could brag about how I taught her everything she knows. **shrug**_

_mickelus – Alice is a mystery. To everyone. Hands down one of the most enigmatic characters I've had to privilege to write about. Her blood lust only adds to her cool factor. Watching her fight to keep restraint baffles even me some times. But she kind of has a soft spot for the kid, it's no surprise she powered through the craze-factor and went all Totes McTotes on K-Mart's softer side. (__Okay softer side is Sears and not K-Mart. Noted__) _

_123a456e – Poor K-Mart? Poor K-Mart!? Poor - ? Are you living in the same world as the rest of us? K-Mart just got blood lusted crazy-sex with Alice. You remember Alice don't you? The wicked-hawt Wonder Woman of the zombie apocalypse? She could stab me in the leg and rip my clothes off ANY DAY. In fact, she could stab me in the clothes and rip my leg off and I'd probably still try to remain conscious long enough to get animal fucked by her… just me? Any one? Crickets?_

_Kungfu Kia – If by gift you mean the sick, twisted pile of "goo" that sits in my head as a sad excuse for a brain, then thank you! :-D I'll be here all night. Literally. I'm in my bed already so… no lies. The cigarette is symbolic. It's K-Mart's rite of passage into the badassery that is Dahlia Case in the sequel. Weed would be equally badass, but good luck finding a dealer in the apocalypse. Cigarettes are everywhere!_

_poynton90 – Cigarette trumped the cold shower at the moment, but I did have to put an ice pack on my vagina to make it through the whole cancer stick. Too much? As if you care. My material? Ask Kungfu Kia, who thinks I have a gift for sexual script. If you ask nicely, she may tell you where I got it. Then tell me, cause I've been wondering about that shit for YEARS. I'm glad I can keep you amazed :-D Hopefully my depression over the fact that Warehouse 13 is ending won't affect my ability to post new and exciting vulgarity every week. Cross your fingers._

_PrincessLia – You know me better than anyone here. Of COURSE I ended this super electric, completely serious scene with comedy. It's what I does. K-Mart is SUCH a BA. I needed to give her a bit of an edge, I've still got the image in my head of the scared little fourteen-year-old girl. Wait. What am I saying? No I don't. K-Mart is HAWT! I made her smoke because I can totally picture those perfect, pouty lips with a trail of thick smoke spilling from them. Picture it. Picture it! Yeah…you know it makes you hot._

_angelsgir – I'm glad I didn't disappoint. Have one for me too. I just smoked my last one and I'm too comfortable to put on clothes and go get more. Such is life._

_Alex dee – Why thank you so much! It never fails to put a smile on my face when someone tells me that my story is their favorite. **grinning from ear to ear** Hope that shower helps you cool off ;-)_

_DalekSec-kmz – I'm so glad you appreciate my open scene! I thought about leaving that line out and easing into things, but then I figured since the rest of the chapter was so in-your-face, it needed a kick to the junk to start things off. I couldn't have K's first time with Alice be super frightening. She's still a bit naïve and I didn't want her all jaded and angsty. I'm glad you agree._

_RU - I'm glad you enjoyed the story. This is the final chapter, but the sequel should be posted soon._


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